A new report released by the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday shows 75-percent of convicted terrorists in America were born abroad. From the data:
According to a list maintained by DOJ’s National Security Division, at least 549 individuals were convicted of international terrorism-related charges in U.S. federal courts between September 11, 2001, and December 31, 2016. An analysis conducted by DHS determined that approximately 73 percent (402 of these 549 individuals) were foreign-born. Breaking down the 549 individuals by citizenship status at the time of their respective convictions reveals that:
-254 were not U.S. citizens;
-148 were foreign-born, naturalized and received U.S. citizenship and,
-147 were U.S. citizens by birth.
Many convicted terrorists came to the U.S. through chain migration, a program the Trump administration and Republicans are trying to end. An example:
Mahmoud Amin Mohamed Elhassan, a national of Sudan, was admitted to the United States in 2012 as a family member of a lawful permanent resident from Sudan. In 2016, he pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS, and in 2017 was subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison.
According to court documents, Elhassan aided and abetted the attempt of Joseph Hassan Farrokh, 29, to travel from the United States to Syria in order to fight on behalf of ISIS. As part of their plan, Farrokh would travel first, followed by Elhassan at a later date. Farrokh and Elhassan spoke in detail about their potential travel. Both men spoke openly with each other about supporting ISIS and violent jihad, with Farrokh saying on October 2, 2015, that he had no patience and wanted to go right away and “chop their heads.”
According to the statement of facts, in an effort to conceal their plans to support ISIS, Farrokh and Elhassan communicated using apps they believed were safe from law enforcement detection. In the summer of 2015, Farrokh and Elhassan talked more seriously about going to join ISIS and concluded that they needed someone to help them do so. Elhassan contacted like-minded people all over the world and the men pursued two separate plans to travel to Syria to join ISIS.
Further, the report details an alarming number of honor killings inside Muslim-American communities. Honor killings are carried out against girls for being "too westernized."
"Although the federal government lacks independent data regarding incidents of honor killings, a study commissioned and provided to the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2014 estimated that an average of 23-27 honor killings occur every year in the United States," the report states. "Based on a representative sample studied through open media sources, 91 percent of the victims in honor killings in North America were murdered for being 'too westernized.' The study further estimated that approximately 1,500 forced marriages occur every year in the United States."
DOJ argues the report shows President Trump's efforts to severely limit which individuals come into the U.S. from abroad are warranted and badly needed.
“We will defend our country, protect our communities, and put the safety of the American people first,” President Trump said about the report.
DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday and will answer questions from lawmakers about the report.
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