U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents have apprehended a Palestinian illegal immigrant named Omar Shehada, 35, who was on a terror watchlist for a previous incident involving “explosives/firearms.” Shehada was arrested on Monday at the southern border in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, according to a leaked CBP memo obtained by the New York Post.
The CBP memo detailed that Shehada began his journey to the United States in July, departing from Madrid, Spain, and traveling through Bogota, Panama City, and San Salvador before reaching the U.S.-Mexico border. While CBP did not disclose the specific terrorist organization Shehada is allegedly associated with, he is currently detained and awaiting deportation from the U.S.
This arrest follows the recent capture of three other suspected Palestinian terrorists at the California border. One of these suspects was reportedly found with “salacious photos” on their iPhone, including an image of a masked man holding an AK-47 rifle.
A CBP alert issued in 2023, following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, warned that Palestinian terrorists might attempt to enter the U.S. via the southern border. The alert noted, “Individuals inspired by, or reacting to the current Israel-Hamas conflict may attempt travel to or from the area of hostilities in the Middle East via circuitous transit across the Southwest border.”
Under Vice President Kamala Harris’ oversight as border czar, 99 illegal immigrants on the terror watchlist were allowed entry into the U.S. during fiscal year 2023, which saw a record 151 encounters with individuals on the FBI terror watchlist attempting to cross into the U.S.—a figure surpassing the previous six years combined. Notably, the Biden administration released one suspect on the terror watchlist into the U.S. on two separate occasions.
The arrest of Shehada and the capture of other suspected Palestinian terrorists underscore growing concerns about the vulnerabilities at the U.S. southern border and the potential exploitation of these weaknesses by terrorists.
