LOC20:37
17:37 GMT
WASHINGTON, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- Three out of every four individuals convicted of international terrorism related charges in US courts between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2016 were foreign born, according to a report released on Tuesday.
Over the same period, US immigration enforcement removed approximately 1,716 people with national security concerns. In 2017 alone US Homeland Security (DHS) had 2,554 "encounters" with individuals on the terrorist watch list traveling to the US.
The report was compiled by DHS and the Justice Department in part of President Donald Trump's Executive Order which temporarily suspended entry of people from seven Muslim majority countries.
"This report reveals an indisputable sobering reality - our immigration system has undermined our national security and public safety," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
"And the information in this report is only the tip of the iceberg: we currently have terrorism-related investigations against thousands of people in the United States, including hundreds of people who came here as refugees."
The report revealed that at least 549 individuals were convicted of international terror charges within the documented period. 73 percent or 402 of those were foreign born. Of the 549 convicted individuals, 254 were not US citizens, 148 were foreign born and naturalized US citizens, and 147 were US citizens by birth. (end)
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