Migrant on terror watchlist arrested days before Trump visit: sources

Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal immigrant on the terror watchlist at Eagle Pass, Texas, shortly before former President Donald Trump’s visit to the area, The Post can reveal.

Agents apprehended Colombian national Carlos Obed Yepez-Bedoya, 40, on Feb. 21 and determined he was a “positive match” with the terror watchlist, according to an internal agency memo exclusively provided to The Post.

The memo also said he was flagged as a “group member,” indicating he is associated with a terror organization, although it didn’t give specifics about which group he is suspected to have affiliation with.

Yepez-Bedoya was caught after illegally crossing into the US by The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), who initially arrested him then alerted border patrol to come and pick him up, per the report.

The arrest was made as part of Operation Lone Star, where Texas uses its National Guard and law enforcement units to assist in securing the border.

Trump made his visit to be briefed on border security by Texas gov. Greg Abbott on Feb. 29. While there he emphasized the threat of what he dubbed “Biden migrant crime” while highlighting the recent murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley allegedly at the hands of Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.

That same day, President Joe Biden traveled to Brownsville, Texas, where he urged congressional action to pass a funding bill to secure the southern border.

Texas DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez told The Post the arrest of Yepez-Bedoya reinforces the need for the state to take action to secure the border while the federal government falls short.

“This underscores the need for border security measures as potential threats to both public safety and national security are evident and exploit security vulnerabilities.

“The federal government has failed to enact border security measures, and the State of Texas, through Governor Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, will continue to take unprecedented action to help secure the border,” Olivarez said.

The number of terror-watchlisted people attempting to enter the US has exploded in recent years, as the number of border crossings generally have surged to record levels, with 2.4 million encounters on the Southwest border in financial year 2023.

In the four months between October 2023 and January, Border Patrol made 59 arrests of terror watchlisted individuals on both the northern and southern borders.

There were also 172 arrests in fiscal year 2023 and 98 in fiscal year 2022. Under Trump there were only 16 in fiscal year 2021, according to federal data and 14 total encounters of terror watchlisted individuals between fiscal years 2017 and 2020.

The arrest comes as Texas is hoping to implement its new border security law, SB4. The law allows the state’s law enforcement to arrest anyone who illegally crosses the border into Texas, and give them the option of prison or voluntarily leaving the country. The law has been passed, but is still caught up in the court as it has been appealed up to the Supreme Court.

“This historic law would undeniably deter and prevent the entry of illegal immigrants with violent criminal histories and those on the terror screening database. Texas will continue to use every tool and strategy to safeguard Texas and the nation,” Olivarez added.

The Border Patrol memo stated that Yepez-Bedoya will be prosecuted for illegal entry into the country and was being processed for expedited removal from the US, back to Colombia. 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment.