The thwarted breach at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on May 3 has raised significant security concerns, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that the individuals involved were Jordanian nationals. According to James Covington, a spokesperson for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the pair were apprehended by the Criminal Investigations Division of the base for trespassing and are now in ERO custody pending removal proceedings.
The incident, which unfolded when the individuals attempted to drive a box truck past a checkpoint, initially posed as Amazon subcontractors making a delivery. Marine spokesman Capt. Michael Curtis recounted that, “When military police directed the two to go to a holding area to undergo standard vetting procedures, the driver instead went past that area and attempted to drive onto the base.” The base’s vehicle denial barriers successfully halted the truck, preventing any further incursion.
In a development that has added a layer of complexity to the incident, multiple Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources revealed to Fox News that one of the individuals had entered the U.S. illegally through the U.S.-Mexico border in the San Diego sector in April, and was released on a notice to appear in court due to a lack of initial derogatory information. The other individual was reportedly an overstay on a student visa.
The disclosure of the breach was notably delayed, with notification to Marine personnel occurring two weeks after the fact. This delay was first reported by local sources and confirmed by Matt Strickland, a former infantry combat medic. Strickland stated, “Two weeks after it happened Quantico finally put an email out to employees on base letting them know.”
The breach attempt has also sparked political reactions. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin criticized the Biden administration’s immigration policies on Fox News, linking the incident to broader concerns about border security. Youngkin remarked, “Joe Biden has brought the border crisis literally to the front gate of Quantico Marine Corps Base.” He emphasized that “what we know, at least reported, are two Jordanian illegal immigrants were driving a box truck through a secure gate and luckily they were stopped.”
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is under scrutiny, with Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lindsey Graham questioning the circumstances of the individuals’ entry into the U.S. and their potential ties to any terrorist watchlists. DHS has assured that it is addressing these concerns through official channels, although the specifics remain undisclosed.
The Quantico base, home to the Marine Corps Combat Development Command and several training schools, represents a critical node in national defense infrastructure.
Relevant articles:
– Pair who tried breaching Virginia Marine base are Jordanian nationals, Marine Times, 05/23/2024
– Jordanian who tried to breach Marine Corps Base Quantico was in US illegally, sources say, Fox News, 05/23/2024
– Military hid attempted Quantico base breach by Jordanians from Marines for two weeks: source, New York Post, 05/22/2024
– Youngkin Rips Biden For Border Crisis Following Attempted Breach On Quantico Base, Daily Caller, 05/23/2024
– Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz Champions GOP Effort To Eradicate DEI At US Military Academies, Tampa Free Press, 05/23/2024
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