Tyler Reporter

On Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General (DHS OIG) released a report revealing that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows illegal immigrants to board U.S. flights without proper vetting. This report was requested by Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX), who has expressed concerns about TSA's screening procedures and their inability to ensure that high-risk migrants are not boarding domestic flights.

Congressman Gooden stated, "I'm proud to have uncovered this alarming scandal that allows unvetted, unidentified illegal aliens to board commercial flights with minimal scrutiny. My efforts, alongside Senator Rubio, spurred the alarming DHS OIG report that confirmed TSA is allowing illegal aliens to pass through airport security without proper identification."

He further criticized the current administration by saying, "The Biden-Harris Administration's decision to prioritize illegal immigrants over securing our transportation system poses serious national security risks. Even more alarming, the American taxpayer is footing the bill for Kamala’s illegal airline operation." Congressman Gooden emphasized his commitment to working with colleagues on passing the SECURE Flights Act (H.R.1703) to address these issues.

The DHS OIG report highlights significant failures by TSA and DHS in safeguarding national security by allowing noncitizens without proper identification onto domestic flights. The report points out ineffective vetting processes and a lack of comprehensive risk assessments from DHS regarding these practices. These shortcomings present daily potential threats to American travelers.

This investigation follows an earlier effort led by Congressman Gooden in 2021 that revealed NGOs collaborating with CBP and TSA were flying unvetted illegal aliens into the U.S., funded by taxpayers. In 2022, both Congressman Gooden and Senator Rubio urged a review of TSA policies allowing ICE form I-200 as valid identification for boarding planes.

In March 2023, Congressman Lance Gooden and Senator Marco Rubio reintroduced the Strengthening Enforcement to Curtail Unlawful, Risky Entrance to (SECURE) Flights Act along with other House GOP lawmakers. This legislation aims to address security gaps identified in the DHS/OIG report by preventing arrest warrants from serving as identification for boarding commercial flights.