Feds: California Rep.'s claim that ISIS is crossing Texas-Mexico border is 'categorically false'





U.S. Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Calif., told Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren on Tuesday that Border Patrol officials told him Islamic State in Iraq and Syria fighters were caught trying to sneak into the country via the Texas-Mexico border.



Pictured, British aid worker David Haines is the third Westerner purported to have been executed by ISIS, which is seeking to establish itself as the one, true jihadist with its savagery. Members of the militant group ISIS have been caught trying to cross into Texas from Mexico, a California congressman said on Fox News Tuesday night.U.S. Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Calif., told Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren on Tuesday that Border Patrol officials told him Islamic State in Iraq and Syria fighters were caught trying to sneak into the country via the Texas-Mexico border.Pictured, British aid worker David Haines is the third Westerner purported to have been executed by ISIS, which is seeking to establish itself as the one, true jihadist with its savagery. less



U.S. Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Calif., told Fox News Members of the militant group ISIS have been caught trying to cross into Texas from Mexico, a California congressman said on Fox News Tuesday night.U.S. Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Calif., told Fox News ... more Photo: Associated Press Photo: Associated Press Image 1 of / 59 Caption Close Feds: California Rep.'s claim that ISIS is crossing Texas-Mexico border is 'categorically false' 1 / 59 Back to Gallery

Federal officials on Wednesday said a California congressman's claim that ISIS militants have been apprehended crossing the Texas-Mexico border is "categorically false and not supported by any credible intelligence or the facts on the ground."

Marsha Catron, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said the agency "continues to have no credible intelligence to suggest terrorist organizations are actively plotting to cross the southwest border," in a statement to the San Antonio Express-News.

The statement is the polar opposite of what U.S. Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Calif., told Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren on Tuesday.

"At least 10 ISIS fighters have been caught coming across the Mexican border in Texas," Hunter said. "There's nobody taking about it."

The California Republican refused to name his source, saying only: "I've asked the Border Patrol," when pressed by Susteren.

"They caught them at the border," Hunter said, "Therefore, we know ISIS is coming across the border. If they catch five or 10 of them, you know there are going to be dozens more that did not get caught by the Border Patrol."

Some Texas Republicans, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and state Sen. Dan Patrick, of Houston, have said they believe ISIS is a threat to cross the state's international border.

"ISIS is coming across the southern border," Hunter said. "They aren't flying B-1 Bombers bombing American cities, but they are going to be bombing American cities coming across from Mexico."

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports