FBI Director Kash Patel recently highlighted growing concerns about the U.S. northern border, warning it could be exploited by terrorists from countries like China, Russia, and Afghanistan. While the southern border is largely secured, Patel told the House Judiciary Committee that the vast geography of the northern border makes it more vulnerable to infiltration by known or suspected terrorists.

Patel’s comments come amid rising numbers of terrorism suspects flagged by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Between May and July, Border Patrol arrested 37 individuals on the terrorism watch list—a sharp increase from previous periods. At official border crossings, flagged individuals at the southern border rose from fewer than 10 per month earlier this year to over 500 monthly.

Experts attribute part of the surge to the Biden administration’s decision to designate Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, which led to more Mexican nationals appearing on the watch list.

Patel also testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Senator Chuck Grassley criticized Biden-era policies for admitting potential terror suspects during the Kabul evacuation, citing 1,600 evacuees flagged by intelligence.

Meanwhile, immigration court backlogs have shrunk under Trump-era border enforcement policies, with new cases dropping and court completions increasing. The Department of Homeland Security reported daily arrests along the southern border dropped from over 8,000 in late 2023 to just 116 on one day last month, signaling a significant decline in illegal crossings. Former immigration judge Andrew Arthur noted that reducing backlogs speeds up valid claims and deters bogus cases, discouraging illegal migration.