Lawmakers are demanding answers about why a Somali man who was on the federal terrorism watch list for his background in explosives and weapons trafficking was able to remain in the U.S. after an error by federal agencies.

The 27-year-old man, whose name was not given, was released after he was detained while illegally entering California in March 2023, reported The National Pulse.

The man, despite his criminal background, was not rearrested until January, when he was found in Minnesota, and GOP lawmakers want to know why. They questioned in a letter the potential involvement of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) involvement in the man’s trip north to Minnesota. 

“Due to Minnesota’s far distance from the border, it is not an easy task for migrants to travel to the state,” the letter reads. “Did the al-Shabbab terrorist travel to Minnesota with the assistance, either direct or indirect of an NGO? If so, which NGO was responsible for transporting the individual to Minnesota?”

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said in a statement that the Biden administration’s open-border agenda “allowed a known terrorist to roam freely throughout our state, and now they must answer for their inexcusable negligence.”

The news about the erroneous release follows the apprehension of a Hezbollah terrorist in March at the southern border, who said he wanted to “make a bomb” and attack New York City.

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