U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, recently questioned homeland security and intelligence officials on the current status of the government’s terror watch list.
During the hearing, Senator Collins pressed a Department of Homeland Security official about the Department’s inability to detect a Mexican national with a highly contagious, multiple-drug-resistant form of Tuberculosis despite having his two last names, his middle name, and his date of birth. More concerning, was the individual’s ability to cross into the United States 21 times after the DHS had received the individual’s information.
Additionally, the event again called into question the ability of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and DHS to take action when with they learn about individuals who present public health threats. During the summer, Andrew Speaker, also infected with a dangerous strain of Tuberculosis, was successfully able to cross into the United States after border officials were alerted to the risk he posed to public safety.