Customs and Border Protection Fails to Disclose Hamas and Hezbollah Terrorist Threats at U.S. Southern Border

In a significant development following recent geopolitical events, Jewish Legal News (JLN) formally sued the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to disclose additional documents on an expedited basis. This request is related to the CBP's warning issued on October 23, 2023, concerning the potential risk of Hamas and Hezbollah fighters illicitly crossing the southern border of the United States. 

Click to view the Lawsuit and Exhibits here.

This request is rooted in the alarming attacks by Hamas in October. On October 7, 2023, Hamas forces, in a pre-dawn surprise attack on a holiday, disabled Israel’s defenses, launching a multi-pronged offensive. This brazen attack resulted in the tragic death of approximately 1,400 individuals and the taking of nearly 250 hostages. Concurrently, Hezbollah was engaged in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces. In a significant revelation, Hezbollah disclosed that it was in direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance on the same day.

Further escalating the situation, a report by Al Jazeera on October 25, 2023, disclosed that the head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah armed group convened a meeting with top leaders from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. This meeting aimed to strategize for an “all-out victory” over Israel, as stated by Hezbollah.

The United States government has designated both Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations. In this context, the CBP memo from October 23, 2023, gains critical importance. The memo, originating from the agency’s San Diego Field Office’s intelligence unit and later obtained by Fox News, cautioned that foreign terrorist fighters engaged in the Israel-Hamas conflict might attempt to enter the United States through the southern border. This warning specifically mentioned groups such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Hezbollah.

ABC News confirmed this alert, indicating that CBP officials in San Diego had issued an intelligence notice about the potential encounter of Hamas and Hezbollah militants at the Southwest border. The memo further elaborated on the risk posed by individuals motivated either by ideology or as mercenaries, who might seek to obscure their travel to or from Middle Eastern countries through Mexico.

In light of these developments, Jewish Legal News' request for additional documents from the CBP is seen as a move to gain deeper insights into the perceived threats and the measures being taken to safeguard U.S. borders. The organization's request underscores the growing concern about national security amidst the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the potential implications for the United States. The CBP has yet to respond to this request despite JLN’s request for it to be handled on an expedited basis.