Rick Perry: Record Number of Illegals from Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan Being Caught at Border

Texas Governor Rick Perry said a record number of illegal immigrants from Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

On Sunday’s  State of the Union on CNN, Perry said the “historic record highs” of individuals from “countries that have substantial terrorist ties” threaten America’s national security. 

Later on the program, Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX), the House Homeland Security Committee Chair, said Iranian terrorists have had plans to sneak across the border. He also said that others who want to do harm are seeking to exploit America’s porous border. 

Perry also said that since 2008, 203,000 illegal immigrants have been put in Texas’ jails, and those illegal immigrants “have been responsible for 3,000 homicides and almost 8,000 sexual assaults.”

“I wish the President would respect that desire of Texans and the citizens of this country to secure the border,” Perry said. “That’s the real issue here–and one that all too often gets deflected by the conversation about unaccompanied minor children.”