Columbia Standard

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, condemned the Biden Administration’s handling of border security following a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General report that found deficiencies in screening and vetting individuals entering the United States.

The report coincides with the arrest of eight individuals with suspected ties to ISIS by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a nationwide sting operation. Earlier this week, Graham requested an all-member briefing on the threat posed by ISIS fighters potentially entering the U.S. via the southern border.

"I fear that the sting operation involving eight people from Tajikistan is just the tip of the iceberg," said Graham. "As to the Inspector General report from DHS about vetting, all I can say is that catch release and poorly vetting is not the way to go… I am hopeful that the Administration will take this report from the DHS Inspector General to heart and make reforms… The Laken Riley tragedy is a good example of where the person accused of murdering this young lady was paroled into the country – not based on the two statutory factors in law, but based on lack of detention capacity. This is a nightmare for our country."

Graham further emphasized, "The DHS inspector report is a wake-up call. The sting operation by ICE and other law enforcement is beyond a wake-up call. So, I’m hoping that the Senate will be briefed about the extent of danger and that we will be able to make some corrective action before it's too late."

Click here to watch Graham’s remarks