{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://comer.house.gov/2021/8/comer-we-must-guard-against-potential-terrorist-entry-into-the-united-states", "Comer: We Must Guard Against Potential Terrorist Entry into the United States", "2021-08-25", "2021", "2021-08", "Republican", "House", "KY", "James Comer", "C001108", "comer.house.gov", "comer", "https://comer.house.gov/media", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken expressing concern related to the vetting of foreign nationals and specifically Afghan citizens coming to the U.S. Additionally, Ranking Member Comer questioned whether individuals not eligible to come to the U.S. or bad actors may be infiltrating those with a valid resettlement claim.\n\nGiven the surge in Afghans seeking entry into the U.S., in addition to the ever-growing Border Crisis, Republicans are concerned terrorists may take advantage of any weaknesses in America\u2019s vetting processes in order to gain entry into the U.S. Ranking Member Comer emphasized the need to help Afghans who risked their lives to aid American troops in Afghanistan while simultaneously ensuring Americans at home are protected from terrorists taking advantage of another humanitarian crisis that resulted from President Biden\u2019s failures.\n\n\u201cOur country owes a moral obligation to those who put themselves at great personal risk to provide substantial assistance to coalition forces in Afghanistan. We therefore must work to ensure those individuals safe passage out of Afghanistan,\u201d wrote Ranking Member Comer. \u201cIt is no secret that terrorists and other bad actors will always seek to exploit any and all weaknesses in border security and vetting of foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States. In the chaotic situation left in the wake of the Taliban\u2019s takeover of Afghanistan, we are particularly concerned that terrorists and others who wish to harm the United States may seek to infiltrate the country disguised as those who provided assistance to coalition forces in Afghanistan.\u201d\n\nThe Ranking Member is requesting a briefing and all information related to the Biden Administration\u2019s ongoing efforts to thwart terrorists from gaining entry to the U.S. and their screening and vetting of Afghan nationals who may ultimately be resettled in the United States.\n\n\u201cThe integrity of our immigration system is paramount. Those who are eligible for immigration benefits should receive them, while those who are not \u2013 especially those who may be inadmissible for security and related grounds \u2013 should be screened out,\u201d concluded Ranking Member Comer.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:11:17Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://comer.house.gov/2021/8/comer-we-must-guard-against-potential-terrorist-entry-into-the-united-states"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1467407457530499, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}