US Department of Homeland Security Seal

In a communiqué received by the Algemeiner Wednesday, July 7, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director John Morton said that the addition of Israel in the OIG’s list of ICE’s Third-Agency Checks was a mistake.  He stated that:

“(TAC) was based on inaccurate information provided to the OIG during the course of its audit.  No such designation for Israel exists in ICE enforcement protocols.  The U.S. does not and never has considered Israel to have links to terrorism, but rather they are a partner in our efforts to combat global terrorism.  The United States maintains close intelligence-sharing relationships with Israel in order to address security issues within its own borders and in our mutual pursuit of safety and security around the globe.”

In its recently published report, Israel Listed on Terrorist Watch List, the Algemeiner reported the discovery of Israel’s placement on a list of 36 nations whose nationals were subject to enhanced scrutiny.