During a hearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) was cut off and appeared to be left stunned after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he did not know if some of the 42 illegal immigrants on the terrorism watch list had been released into the United States.
“Forty-two illegal immigrants were encountered at our border are on the terrorist and no-fly list. Are any of them still in our country?” Jordan asked Mayorkas, according to Fox News.
“This is an important question for this committee,” Jordan added after being told his time had expired.
“Congressman, I will deliver to you a response with respect…” Mayorkas said as Jordan kept pressing him for an answer. Mayorkas added that “some of them may still be in detention.”
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) later yielded some of his time to Jordan to allow him to continue his questioning.
“Have any of the 42 illegal migrants on the terrorist watch list or no-fly list encountered on our southwest border been released into the United States?” Jordan asked.
“As I mentioned before, I will provide that data to you with respect to the disposition of each one,” Mayorkas responded. “I do not know the answer to your question.”
Mayorkas’ admission that he did not know if potential terrorists had been released into the United States appeared to leave Jordan stunned.
“The secretary of Homeland Security does not know the answer to the status of 42 individuals who came to our southern border illegally, are on the no-fly list and the terrorist watch list. You do not know whether they have been released or not into the country. That’s your testimony,” Jordan said. “That’s amazing.”
