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House Homeland Security Committee backs bill to require monthly public reports on ‘special interest aliens’
Summary
The House Committee on Homeland Security approved H.R.275, the Special Interest Alien Reporting Act, after extended debate over transparency and national security risks; the amendment in the nature of a substitute was adopted and the bill was reported to the House by a recorded vote of 15–12.
The House Committee on Homeland Security on Thursday approved H.R.275, the Special Interest Alien Reporting Act, a bill that would require the Department of Homeland Security to publish monthly counts of ‘‘special interest aliens’’ (SIAs) encountered attempting to unlawfully enter the United States.
The bill’s sponsor, Representative Green of Georgia, urged support during the markup, saying the measure would provide ‘‘the American people’’ with transparency about ‘‘how many potential terrorists are coming across the border and which countries they are from.’’
The measure prompted lengthy debate over whether publishing the data would help adversaries or improve oversight. Ranking Member Thompson opposed the bill, arguing in committee that publishing certain data could provide cartels and terrorists with ‘‘real time information’’ about screening practices and thereby harm national…
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