Security Leaders Cite Extremism, Terrorism, Cyber as Top Threats Facing U.S.
Top Biden Administration national security officials faced Congress for two days of hearings into the biggest security threats facing the United States.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, and Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Christine Abizaid went before the House Homeland Security Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for their annual testimony.
The testimony looked at a broad range of threats facing the nation which Secretary Mayorkas said in his opening statement “have never been greater or more complex.” A range of concerns were discussed, including domestic and international terrorism, targeted violence fueled by extremism, the security of the U.S. border with Mexico, hostile nation states, cyber attacks, the safety of critical infrastructure, and other global threats.
FBI Director Wray said, “The greatest terrorism threat to our homeland is posed by lone actors or small cells of individuals who typically radicalize to violence online, and who primarily use easily accessible weapons to attack soft targets.”
Director Wray explained that extremists are motivated by a wide variety of ideologies and beliefs that they can be challenging for the FBI “identify, investigate, and disrupt before they take violent action.”
He added that while the terrorism threat evolves, “FBI resolve to counter that threat remains constant.”
Director Abizaid agreed with Director Wray’s sentiment, noting that “Today’s lone-actor threats can mobilize in unpredictable ways based on a variety of motivations.”
And Secretary Mayorkas warned, “Those driven to violence are targeting critical infrastructure; soft targets; faith-based institutions; institutions of higher education; racial and religious minorities; government facilities and personnel, including law enforcement and the military; and perceived ideological opponents.”
Republicans on the committees used much of their time to press Secretary Mayorkas on the security of the U.S. southern border, which has seen a record number of migrant arrests in the last fiscal year.
When asked whether the southern border is a crisis by Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), ranking member on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Secretary Mayorkas replied, “We are seeing a significant challenge at the southern border as we are seeing it throughout the (western) hemisphere. There are many different factors to the increase in migrants. “
Secretary Mayorkas maintained that the border is “secure” and urged Congress to pass a DHS budget and enact immigration reform.
Also discussed were rising threats from nation states like China and Russia, including cyber threats.
Secretary Mayorkas said, “Cyber threats from foreign governments and transnational criminals remain among the most prominent threats facing our nation. Hostile nations like Russia, the PRC, Iran, and North Korea, as well as cybercriminals around the world, continually grow more sophisticated and create more adverse consequences.”
Asked by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) whether the U.S. has a sufficient offensive effort to push back against cyber-attacks from state and non-state actors, Director Wray said, “We’re after imposing risks and consequences on the adversaries, to hit them where it hurts, to make it harder and harder for them to come after us with cyber means.
Secretary Mayorkas meanwhile said that partnerships between the public and private sector are “increasingly vital” to combat cyber threats.
Also on China, Director Wray said he’s concerned about Chinese surveillance in the United States.
“We have seen a clear pattern of the Chinese government, the Chinese Communist Party, exporting their repression right here into the U.S.,” Director Wray testified.