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FACT BRIEF

Were there 169 'terror watchlist' arrests at the US southern border in 2023?

By Brandy Ruiz
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NO

In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 169 encounters with individuals identified as “potential matches” in its Terrorist Screening Dataset at the U.S.- Mexico border.

The TSDS originated as a database of known or suspected terrorists. CBP stated that in the last decade, it has been expanded “to include additional individuals who represent a potential threat to the United States, including known affiliates of watchlisted individuals.”

Not all encounters with CBP result in arrests. Watchlisted non-citizens encountered at land ports of entry may be denied admission to the U.S. barring justification for their arrest, and those encountered after entering may be detained or removed, according to CBP.

The total number of encounters reported may include multiple attempted crossings by the same individual, according to the CBP website.

“Terrorist” encounters made up 0.0083% of all FY23 border patrol encounters, CBP data shows.
 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Terrorist Screening Center Frequently Asked Questions: What is the Terrorist Screening Database and How is it Used?
US Customs and Border Protection Southwest TSDS Border Encounters FY23
US Customs and Border Protection Total TSDS Border Encounters FY23
US Customs and Border Protection Nationwide Encounters
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El Paso Matters is a member-supported nonpartisan media organization that uses journalism to expand civic capacity in our region. We inform and engage with people in El Paso, Ciudad Juárez and neighboring communities to create solutions-driven conversations about complex issues shaping our region.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.