(NewsNation) — A memo warning of the possibility of foreign fighters from the Middle East at America’s southern border was released by the San Diego Customs and Border Protection office.
The memo warns that individuals “inspired by, or reacting to, the current Israel-Hamas conflict may attempt to travel to or from the area of hostilities in the Middle East via circuitous transit across the Southwest border.”
The document, circulated among CBP agents, specifically mentions Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Hezbollah. But some border officials are questioning why the memo was not more widely circulated with sources in Texas saying they never received it.
“Foreign fighters motivated by ideology or mercenary soldiers of fortune may attempt to obfuscate travel to or from the U.S. to or from countries in the Middle East through Mexico,” the memo read.
The document also displays the kinds of patches the individuals of concern could be wearing and features suggested questions to ask migrants, directing agents to keep an eye out for military-age males traveling alone.
This comes as CBP reported an increase in migrants coming from countries neighboring Israel since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.
This month, 94 people from Syria have already been encountered at the souther border, a 74% increase over the last month.
Two weeks ago, 18 people from Iran and three from Lebanon were stopped at the southern border.
CBP has not encountered anyone with terrorist ties at the southern border yet.
