Syrians at Texas border stoke fears, heated rhetoric

The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday confirmed that eight Syrian nationals – two families – passed through a border checkpoint in Laredo.

The women and children were taken to a family residential center while the men were transferred to a detention center, DHS said. “The two men from these families are being held at the South Texas Detention Center in Pearsall Texas”, a DHS statement said.

It’s not clear how many Syrians have arrived at the southern border seeking asylum in recent months, as opposed to those brought to the USA legally as refugees.

BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS ‘Eight Syrians were just caught on the southern border trying to get into the U.S. ISIS maybe?

U.S. government officials, on condition of anonymity, said there was no evidence the family members had any connection terrorism, Reuters reported.

Texas governor Greg Abbott – one of dozens of American governors who have sought to keep Syrian refugees from entering their states – tweeted: “THIS is why Texas is vigilant about Syrian refugees”. “Our agents have heard about Syrians being apprehended in the area from other federal agents”, Border Patrol agent and NBPC Local 2455 President Hector Garza told Breitbart Texas.

With no direct flights from Syria to Texas, refugees fly from a neighboring country to Mexico or other Central American countries and then make their way into the states. The process can take years, during which time the applicant likely be living in a refugee camp.

Opposition has quickly grown against a White House plan to allow into the USA 10,000 carefully vetted Syrian refugees, with at least 31 governors threatening to refuse entry into their states for refugees.

The report comes as authorities across the world remain on high alert in the aftermath of last week’s horrific terrorist attacks in Paris that left 129 dead and scores of others injured.

I am not optimistic that we will be able to take the lead in this environment but we need President Obama to rely on his military advisers and there should be no question on the resolve of the U.S. But she said that ignores the fact that most foreigners who have committed acts of terror in the US, including the 9/11 hijackers, entered the country through airports and land ports using fake or stolen documents.