This week, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, I conducted a classified hearing to examine the infiltration of sensitive U.S. military instillations by foreign agents.
In September 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese Communist Party spies gained or tried to access U.S. military bases and sensitive sites at least 100 times over the past few years. In one case, potential agents infiltrated a U.S. Army test range, accessed numerous missile sites, and used drones to surveil the grounds. In another case, individuals were found scuba diving in a location that is home to a launch site for U.S. satellites and other sensitive military equipment.
The Biden administration’s lax border enforcement and immigration policies have facilitated the entry of individuals engaged in espionage activities. So far in FY2024, 24,376 Chinese nationals have been encountered at the Southwest border. Encounters of Chinese nationals in March of this year have increased by 8,000 percent compared to March 2021. More than 1,000 Chinese nationals have crossed the southwest border every month for the past 5 months.
While China typically garners the most attention on this issue, it's essential to recognize that foreign nationals from other countries are also involved. Just hours after the hearing Fox News reported that two Jordanian nationals attempted to gain access to Quantico Marine Corps Base and are now in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
While the specifics of our findings remain classified, I took the opportunity to discuss this critical national security issue with the Daily Mail.
