January 1, Somali National Linked to Pirate Attacks Seized at U.S. Border

Wyatt’s Take

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested Said Jama Ahmed near the Canadian border after he entered the country illegally.
• Fingerprint records show Ahmed was linked to a 2012 hijacking attempt on an Indian vessel in the Gulf of Aden.
• Despite multiple law enforcement encounters over the last few years, Ahmed remained in the country until this month.

Authorities report that Ahmed’s fingerprints match records taken by the U.S. Navy during a high-seas piracy operation over a decade ago.

He was allegedly part of an armed group that held a ship hostage before being intercepted by the USS Halsey.

Ahmed first crossed into the United States near San Luis, Arizona, back in September 2022.

He also faced detention by immigration officials in 2024 for fraudulent documents but was not removed from the country at that time.

“Weak Biden administration border policies allowed this illegal alien to enter and remain in the country despite his multiple law enforcement encounters,” said DHS acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.

An off-duty Canadian officer first spotted the suspect walking south with a backpack just a few miles from the border line.

U.S. Border Patrol agents caught up with him two hours later and discovered he was wanted on an extradition warrant for passport fraud.

“A Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) team conducted boarding operations and encountered Ahmed and nine other armed pirates who had taken the Indian ship hostage by force, where the Navy then logged Ahmed’s fingerprint,” DHS officials stated.

Wyatt Matters

Middle Americans deserve a border system that keeps dangerous people out and protects working families. When a man tied to piracy can live here for years, it raises serious questions about safety and enforcement.

Somali illegal immigrant linked to piracy arrested at border