ON FOX FIRSTHouse Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan is investigating the circumstances surrounding two Jordanian nationals who entered a military base in Virginia after it emerged they were both illegal immigrants.
Jordan has written to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about the May 3 incident when, officials say, the two nationals in a box truck were stopped at a gate. The driver reportedly told military police that he was making a delivery to the post office and that he worked for a company outsourced by Amazon.
“It was at this point that one of the military police officers noticed the driver, ignored the officers' direct instructions, continued to drive the vehicle past the holding area and attempted to gain access to Quantico Naval Base,” said spokesman Capt. Michael Curtis. in a statement.
ICE CONFIRMS THAT JORDANIANS WHO ATTEMPTED TO VIOLATE MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO ARE BOTH ILLEGAL IN US
ICE agents conduct an enforcement operation in the domestic U.S. on June 2, 2022. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Officials later turned them over to ICE following their arrest for trespassing. ICE officials said this week that one of the nationals entered the U.S. illegally in California in April before being released on his own recognizance. The other was a foreign student who entered the US in September 2022 and whose visa status was terminated in January.
ICE said it has no information indicating Jordanian had ties to any organization that could pose a threat to public safety or national security.
Also sources with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News that neither man has a criminal record in the US, and the FBI would not say whether the suspects were on a terrorist watch list.
But the incident has raised concerns among Republicans. Both Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee have sent letters to DHS asking for more information.
Now Jordan wants to get to the bottom of the matter.
The main entrance to the U.S. Naval Base at Quantico, Virginia, March 22, 2013. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
ICE REFUSES TO REVEAL NAMES OF JORDANIANS Caught for Trespassing on Naval Base; FORMER OFFICIALS WEIGH IN
“Criminal aliens are exploiting the vulnerabilities in our country's immigration system to the detriment of those in the United States,” the letter said. “The Biden administration's border and immigration policies only increase the likelihood that criminal aliens will successfully enter and remain in the United States. Under House rules, the Judiciary Committee has the authority to oversee federal immigration policies and procedures. “
The committee requests information about the case history, including their immigration history, benefit applications and alien files, detention status and history, and information about processing and entry into the US.
BIDEN BORDER CHIEF MUST RESPOND AFTER JORDANIAN NATIONALS NEARLY VIOLATED QUANTICO: SENATORS
They asked for the information before June 7.
Meanwhile, ranking member Lindsey Graham on the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a similar letter to Mayorkas.
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On Thursday, a DHS spokesperson told Fox about the Congressional investigations: “DHS responds directly to Congressional correspondence through official channels, and the Department will continue to respond appropriately to Congressional oversight.”
Greg Wehner and Bill Melugin of Fox News contributed to this report.
