{"id":2125359,"date":"2023-12-14T17:58:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T22:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-governments-terrorist-watchlist-nearly-doubled-in-past-6-years-now-holds-2-million-people-report\/"},"modified":"2023-12-14T18:02:47","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T23:02:47","slug":"u-s-governments-terrorist-watchlist-nearly-doubled-in-past-6-years-now-holds-2-million-people-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-governments-terrorist-watchlist-nearly-doubled-in-past-6-years-now-holds-2-million-people-report\/","title":{"rendered":"The U.S. Government&#8217;s terrorist watchlist has grown by almost double in the last 6 years, now containing 2 million individuals, according to a report"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">48<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fu-s-governments-terrorist-watchlist-nearly-doubled-in-past-6-years-now-holds-2-million-people-report%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2125359&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The U.S. Government&#8217;s Terrorist Watchlist Continues to Grow<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The \u200bU.S. government&#8217;s terrorist watchlist has seen a significant increase in\u200b the\u2062 number of potential threats, \u200cnow totaling \u2064around two million individuals. This\u200c number has \u200dnearly doubled in \u200djust six\u2062 years, according to a \u200cCBS News\u2063 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/us-terrorist-watchlist-grows\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Initially \u2064launched in\u2064 2003 after\u2062 the September 11 terror attacks, the \u2063watchlist\u200c started with approximately 120,000 names. Over the \u2062next 14 years, it grew exponentially, reaching over\u200b 1.1 million people\u2062 by 2017. In the past six years alone, the watchlist \u200bhas nearly \u200cdoubled,\u200b now\u200d including\u200c thousands of American citizens, as reported \u2062by \u200cCBS News.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to the report, the watchlist has been quietly expanding both in numbers and in the individuals it targets. The federal\u200c government adds people to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/archives.fbi.gov\/archives\/about-us\/ten-years-after-the-fbi-since-9-11\/just-the-facts-1\/terrorist-screening-center-1#:~:text=The%20Terrorist%20Watchlist%20(also%20known,that%20individuals%20with%20links%20to\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">watchlist<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  if they\u200b are reasonably\u2063 suspected of involvement in terrorism.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Russ Travers, an\u2063 intelligence \u2063community veteran involved in creating the \u2063watchlist, emphasized that not everyone on the list is a terrorist.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cIt\u2064 means there\u2019s something\u2062 that \u200dhas led \u2063a department or agency to say, \u2018This person needs a closer \u2062look,&#8217;\u201d Travers \u2063said.<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The watchlist \u2063likely includes individuals who are deceased, and there are outdated names \u2064as \u200cwell. However, due to limited staff, it is challenging to keep everyone&#8217;s file updated\u200d regularly, according \u200dto \u2063national \u200bsecurity\u2063 officials.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Monte Hawkins, who has served on the\u2063 National Security \u2062Council under multiple presidents, stated \u200cthat the two million \u2063people on the watchlist are there for \u200ca \u200dreason. He also noted that the \u2064vast majority of \u200cthose on the list are not \u2062U.S. citizens \u2062or \u200dlegal \u2064residents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In\u2063 recent times,\u200d many individuals on the terrorist watchlist have attempted to\u2064 cross the U.S. \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nearly-150-illegal-immigrants-on-terror-watchlist-apprehended-at-us-border-in-past-year\/\" title=\"Around 150 illegal immigrants on the terror watchlist were caught at the US border in the last year.\">southern border\u200b illegally<\/a>. Customs \u2064and Border Protection\u2063 agents arrested 169 people on the\u2063 watchlist attempting to enter the\u200b country in 2023, up from 98 in 2022, as reported by Fox News&#8217; \u2063Bill Melugin <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BillMelugin_\/status\/1715770534687121781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1715770534687121781%7Ctwgr%5E0b19f29e0ea3226f4f9f98917067a49a3a1ad822%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&#038;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fu-s-records-highest-illegal-alien-encounters-in-history-for-september-over-8-million-total-for-biden-era\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in October<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. In 2021, only 15 people on the \u200cwatchlist were arrested attempting to cross into\u2062 the\u2064 U.S., and \u2064in 2020, the number was three.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-describedby=\"sk-tooltip-9096\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1700760801843000&#038;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG\">CLICK \u200cHERE \u200dTO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These revelations about the \u200bexpanding \u200cterrorist watchlist\u2062 coincide with warnings from the FBI \u2063and\u2063 Department of Homeland Security\u200c regarding increased terror threats. Groups like Hamas and other foreign terrorists pose a significant risk, as highlighted by the FBI\u200b Director\u200c Chris Wray in\u2063 his \u200crecent statement before Congress.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cIn a year where the terrorism \u2063threat was already elevated, the ongoing war in the Middle East has raised the threat of an \u2064attack against Americans in the United States to \u2062a whole other level,\u201d \u200dWray\u200c stated. \u201cOn \u200btop of the so-called lone actor\u200d threat, we \u200ccannot and\u2063 do not discount the \u200cpossibility that Hamas, or another \u2064foreign\u200d terrorist\u200d organization, may exploit\u2063 the current conflict\u2063 to conduct attacks \u2063here on our own soil.\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What concerns \u200carise from the growing size of the\u200d watchlist, and \u200dwhat efforts \u2063have been made to address these concerns<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Pted to\u2062 carry out attacks or have been arrested for their involvement in terrorist activities. \u200dFor example, a Nigerian man on the watchlist attempted to detonate a bomb\u200d on a flight to Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009. Additionally, \u2062the Boston Marathon bombers were \u200dalso on \u200dthe\u2064 watchlist prior to their attack in 2013.<\/p>\n<p>The rise in\u2062 the number \u200bof individuals on\u200c the\u200d watchlist can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, advancements \u200bin technology and\u2064 intelligence gathering have improved the ability to identify potential threats. \u2062Government agencies now have access to vast amounts\u2063 of \u200cdata, including\u200b travel \u200crecords, financial\u2064 transactions, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utah-education-board-member-under-investigation-after-social-media-posts-about-schools-brainwashing-children\/\" title=\"Utah Education Board Member probed for criticizing schools' influence on children.\">social \u2062media activity<\/a>, allowing them to better\u200d track and monitor individuals.<\/p>\n<p>Secondly, the global landscape has changed\u200b significantly since the watchlist was first \u200cestablished. The \u2063rise of extremist \u2062groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda has led to \u200dan increase in radicalization and recruitment efforts. As a \u2063result,\u200d more \u200dindividuals are \u2062being influenced by \u200dextremist ideologies and are willing\u200d to carry \u2062out acts of violence.<\/p>\n<p>However, the growing\u200b size of the watchlist also raises concerns about its effectiveness and potential for abuse. Critics argue\u200d that the inclusion of \u200bindividuals without sufficient\u200b evidence of \u2064their involvement in terrorism infringes upon their civil \u200cliberties. There have been cases where\u2064 innocent individuals have been mistakenly placed \u200con the watchlist, causing significant hardships and damaging\u200d their reputations.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the \u2064sheer\u2062 number\u200c of individuals on the watchlist poses challenges for\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/5-charged-after-human-trafficking-bust-in-chicago-area\/\" title=\"5 Arrested in Chicago Area Human Trafficking Operation\">law enforcement \u200cagencies<\/a> in terms of\u2062 effectively monitoring and\u2063 prioritizing potential \u200cthreats. Limited resources and staff \u2064make it difficult to thoroughly \u200binvestigate each individual on the list, potentially allowing real threats to slip through the \u200ccracks.<\/p>\n<p>Efforts\u2062 have\u200b been made \u200bto address these concerns. In 2015, the government\u200c implemented a \u2063redress\u200c process, allowing individuals to request to be removed from \u2062the \u200dwatchlist if \u2062they believe\u200c they were included in\u200b error. Additionally, legislation has been proposed to improve oversight of the watchlist and ensure that individuals&#8217; civil \u2062liberties are protected.<\/p>\n<p>The terrorist watchlist remains an essential\u200b tool in the fight against terrorism, as it allows law enforcement agencies to identify and track potential threats. However,\u2064 it \u2062is crucial that the government\u2064 continues to\u200b refine the watchlist, ensuring that it is both effective\u200b in combating terrorism and respects individuals&#8217; \u2062rights.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the U.S. government&#8217;s terrorist watchlist has \u2062experienced\u200b a significant increase \u200bin \u2064the number of individuals over \u2064the past few\u2064 years.\u200d While improvements in technology and intelligence gathering have contributed\u2062 to this rise, the growing size of the watchlist raises \u2063concerns about\u200d its effectiveness and potential \u2062for abuse. It is\u200c essential for the government to\u200b strike a balance \u200dbetween\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ukraine-invasion-sanctions-will-see-russian-economy-shrink-by-35-percent-jp-morgan\/\" title=\"Ukraine Invasion Sanctions Will See Russian Economy Shrink by 35 Percent: JP Morgan\">maintaining national security<\/a> and protecting individuals&#8217; civil\u200c liberties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The U.S. government&#8217;s terrorist watchlist has doubled in size over the past six years, now containing approximately two million names. Created in 2003 after the September 11 attacks, the watchlist aims to identify potential threats, as reported by CBS News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":324,"featured_media":2125360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2125359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/324"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2125359"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125359\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2125360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2125359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2125359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2125359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}