There are over 50,000 people in the United States right now who have committed crimes, either in their home country or in the United States — or both. But a couple of recent captures by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reveal that there are likely much more dangerous people entering the country.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers continue to arrest single military age men in Texas border counties, including Special Interest Aliens from Afghanistan and Iran. They are also continuing to rescue children being smuggled across the border from Mexico.

Large groups of illegal border crossers continue to be apprehended in Maverick County. On Dec. 1, troopers encountered a group of 176 illegal border crossers, including single adults, family groups, and unaccompanied children. Among them, troopers arrested 85 for criminal trespass, including 11 SIAs from Afghanistan. Other single adults arrested were citizens of El Salvador, Ecuador, Cuba, Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela, DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez said.

Just after Thanksgiving, troopers also apprehended a group of 289 in Maverick County. Among them were 7 SIAs from Iran. All were turned over to Border Patrol, he said.

Afghanistan. Home of the Taliban. Iran. The world's greatest state sponsor of Islamic terror. And they are sending what we can only assume are young, military-aged men to cross our porous southern border into the United States.

Texas DPS has been sounding the alarm about an increased number of arrests of SIAs, The Center Square has reported. Recent arrests are primarily of men from countries of foreign concern, including Iran, a U.S. State Department designated State Sponsor of Terrorism.

Other SIAs DPS has apprehended are from Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Mali, and Turkey, The Center Square has reported. The majority are being apprehended in Maverick County, with major crossing points in the area of Eagle Pass after cartel operatives move people across the Rio Grande River from Piedras Negras, Mexico.

SIAs are noncitizens who, based “on an analysis of travel patterns,” are “known or evaluated to possibly have a nexus to terrorism” who “potentially poses a national security risk to the United States,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security explains.

These are not people wanting to send money back home to their abuela. These are not people wanting a better life for their families. Some of them, sure, may be here with no nefarious intent, but how can we know that when only a perfunctory screening is being done? 

The SIAs in question have been turned over to the Border Patrol. The Border Patrol still answers to the Biden administration. What has become of these SIAs? Where are they now? Have they been deported? Are they being detained, awaiting deportation? Or have they been released into the United States with a notice to appear some years in the future?

Those are all questions that should be answered, but probably won't be answered.

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These captures represent much more than a failure of the United States' border policies. They represent much more than the fecklessness of the Biden administration or the hobbles they have placed on ICE and the Border Patrol. These individuals showing up at our border, trying to sneak into the country, represent a clear and present threat to the liberty and property of the people of the United States. This is beyond failure; it's beyond incompetence. It's malfeasance. 

In two instances, Texas DPS has captured 18 people from Afghanistan and Iran, both countries that are known to be adversarial towards the United States. We have no idea how many more evaded capture and are here, in our country, right now, but it stands to reason that there are such people here. We have no idea who they may be, where they are, or what they may be planning. If some of them, and it would only take a few, do carry out some sort of attack, it will be far too late.