The Biden administration took drastic steps to try and conceal a Chinese spy balloon near the US-Mexico border from the public and Congress, according to a new report.
On May 13, Reuters revealed that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials had targeted a surveillance balloon, allegedly operated by the Chinese government, near the US-Mexico border in Mission, Texas. This balloon was equipped with cameras and sensors, and could be used to collect information on the US-Mexico border, potentially posing a security risk.
However, it appears that the Biden administration chose to keep this information from both the public and Congress. In a closed-door briefing on May 27, acting CBP director Troy Miller told members of Congress that he had ordered his agency to conceal the balloon’s presence. He also refused to provide details on why the agency thought it was necessary to keep the Chinese operation secret.
The move has since sparked criticism from members of Congress, who say they were blindsided by the decision. Rep. Mark Green, a Republican from Tennessee, called the lack of transparency “extremely concerning” and suggested that it was “troubling” that the government had chosen to hide it from congressional oversight.
The balloon, referred to as a “Multi-Domain Awareness System,” remains in place even though it has been widely reported. It is unclear whether the Biden administration still considers it to be a threat to US security.
The episode is a stark contrast to the response from the US government to Russia’s recent hacking attempts. In those cases, the Biden administration was swift to condemn the Russian government and impose sanctions in response.
This raises questions over why the Biden administration chose to take a different approach with the Chinese balloon. It appears they opted for secrecy and chose not to take any public action against the Chinese government for their espionage.
The incident serves as a reminder that the US government needs to remain vigilant when it comes to protecting national security. Transparency is essential to ensure that the public is made aware of any potential threats, and that governmental bodies are held properly accountable.