Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican Congresswoman representing Georgia’s 14th congressional district, has made headlines yet again for her controversial statements, this time claiming that a bag of trash on the border was filled with bombs.
In a series of tweets on May 24, Greene shared a video of herself traveling along the US-Mexico border in a truck, claiming to be monitoring the situation. In the video, she spots a discarded trash bag and jumps to the conclusion that it’s a bomb.
“It’s a bag of trash, and it’s disgusting, but it is not a bomb,” Greene says in the video, before going on to claim that Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations are smuggling bombs into the country via the southern border.
While it may seem bizarre that a member of Congress would mistake a bag of trash for a bomb, it’s not surprising given Greene’s history of making outlandish and often baseless statements. She has been criticized for promoting conspiracy theories, spreading false information about the COVID-19 pandemic, and supporting the QAnon movement.
Greene has also been an outspoken opponent of immigration, particularly along the southern border, where she claims that terrorists are entering the country at an alarming rate. However, there is no evidence to support this claim, and it’s widely recognized that most immigrants coming across the border are seeking asylum from violence and persecution in their home countries.
Experts in terrorism and border control have also weighed in on Greene’s claims. According to Michael German, a former FBI agent and now a fellow with the Brennan Center for Justice, the idea that terrorists are sneaking bombs into the country through the southern border is “patently ridiculous.”
“Every time there’s an attack in the US, we find the person was already here,” German told CNN. “There’s no evidence of terrorists sneaking into the country through the southern border with bombs or any other weapons.”
Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security has stated that the number of individuals on their terrorist watchlist apprehended at the southern border is “rare.”
Greene’s fixation on the southern border and her insistence that it’s a hotbed of terrorism is not only unfounded, but also detracts from the real issues facing the country’s immigration system. The federal government has struggled for years to find a solution to the influx of immigrants seeking asylum, and many argue that the current system is broken.
Rather than focusing on baseless conspiracy theories, lawmakers should be working to improve the system, address the root causes of migration and provide a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants already in the country.
Greene’s comments on the border and terrorism aren’t just harmful in terms of spreading misinformation, but also have real-world consequences. Her rhetoric fuels xenophobia and hatred towards immigrants, which can lead to harmful policies and actions targeting innocent individuals.
Given her history and the controversial nature of her remarks, it’s not surprising that Greene is yet again at the center of a media storm. However, it’s important for lawmakers and citizens alike to recognize the dangerous implications of baseless claims and work towards finding real solutions to the complex issues facing the country.