Fmr. Biden ICE Official on Reported Release of Terror Watch List Member by Border Patrol: That's 'Very, Very Rare'

During portions of an interview with NBC News aired on Thursday's edition of “NBC Nightly News,” Jason Houser, who served as ICE Chief of Staff under the Biden administration, reacted to a report that Border Patrol released a man who was on the terror watchlist by stating that this happening “is very, very rare.” But it's not acceptable for any terrorist or anyone linked to terrorism to try to come into the U.S.

NBC News Homeland Security Correspondent Julia Ainsley said the case “appears to be just one of at least three incidents in the past two years involving suspected terrorists being released by Customs and Border Protection, according to the DHS inspector general and Congress.”

She also played a clip of Houser saying, “Any terrorist or terrorist-linked individual trying to come into this country is unacceptable.”

Ainsley then said, “We pressed a former top ICE official in the Biden administration about how a member of a terror group could be released into the U.S. by DHS.”

She then played a clip of Houser stating, “This is very, very rare. There's a large capacity and capability for both Border Patrol, ICE, federal law enforcement, and the interagency to identify and vet these individuals as they come to the border.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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