U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a statement on May 16 confirming that two Jordanian nationals were turned over to ICE custody. However, ICE did not respond to the request to confirm whether one or both men were on the Terrorism Watch list or address the contents of the box truck.
Captain James Covington, ICE spokesman, confirmed: “On May 3, 2024, Marine Corps Base Quantico’s Criminal Investigations Division arrested two Jordanian noncitizens for trespassing. Marine Corps Base authorities notified the ICE Eastern Regional Office (ERO) in Washington, D.C., of the apprehensions. Deportation officers from ERO Washington, D.C.’s Criminal Apprehension Program responded and arrested both individuals without incident. Both individuals will remain in ERO custody pending removal proceedings.”Â
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With an eye toward future political aspirations, Representative Abigail Spanberger (D) of Virginia’s 7th Congressional District is set to host a telephone town hall on Thursday, May 16, from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
The town hall, a staple of political engagement for elected officials, comes following a security breach at Quantico Marine Corps Base, located within her district boundaries. On May 3, two men inside a box truck, claiming to work for Amazon, tried to run the gate and were stopped by military police, and turned over to ICE.
Spanberger did not respond to a request for comment following the incident.
Sources tell Potomac Local one of the men is on a U.S. terrorist watch list, and had crossed the southern border into the country just days before the incident. No one one was injured at Quantico. However, it comes after multiple, similar, deadly incidents at the White House and at other military installations in Virginia and California.
Spanberger, currently serving her second term in Congress, announced earlier this year that she would not seek reelection to Congress. Instead, she has set her sights on the Virginia Governor’s mansion, with plans to run in the upcoming 2025 gubernatorial race.
Spanberger did not respond to a request for comment following the incident. On April 9, 2024, Potomac Local pressed Spanberger on whether or not, if elected governor in 2025, she would use the Virginia National Guard to assist Texas in securing the southern border. In response, she said the border is a federal issue, not a state issue, blamed House Republicans for not working with the president on his plan to secure the border, said “I’m working on it,” and jumped into an SUV and left the area.
In her announcement regarding the telephone town hall, Spanberger expressed her anticipation to engage with constituents, stating, “I look forward to hearing from you, answering your questions, and sharing updates about my work for Virginia.”
The telephone town hall offers multiple avenues for engagement for those interested in participating. Participants can dial in directly to the event at 833-380-0670 to listen live or pose questions directly to the congresswoman.
Additionally, for those preferring to watch the conversation unfold visually, Spanberger has provided online streaming options. The event can be viewed live at spanberger.house.gov/live or via her Facebook page.
Two people inside a box truck tried to force their way onto Quantico Marine Corps Base.
After being pressed by Potomac Local News, base officials today said that in the early morning hours of Friday, May 3, 2024, the two men drove a truck up to the base’s main gate on Fuller Road, just outside Dumfries, told guards that they were contractors for Amazon and were making a delivery to Quantico Town’s post office. The town is located inside the military base.
The men did not provide any approved access credentials, and police determined the vehicle had no affiliation with the base, so officers directed the truck to a holding area for standard vetting procedures. “One of the military police officers noticed the driver, ignoring the direct instructions of the officers, continued to move the vehicle past the holding area and attempted to access…Quantico,” said base spokesman Capt. Micheal Curtis.
Officers then used vehicle denial barriers, or roadblocks that were used to keep out cars, which prevented the two men from traveling further onto the base. The occupants were detained and eventually turned over to ICE, and no one was injured, said Curtis.
Multiple sources report one of the individuals inside the truck is a Jordanian foreign national who recently crossed the southern border into the U.S., and that one of the occupants is on the U.S. terrorist watch list. Quantico did not confirm this information.
Potomac Local News requested more information from ICE, and we’ll update this post as soon as we receive it.
Sources also tell us security on the base has been heightened since the incident, and that a mass email was sent to base personnel urging them to be on high alert.
The Quantico incident mirrors others at military installations across the U.S. and the White House, which have raised concerns about security protocols and the safety of personnel following three separate incidents involving unauthorized vehicle access.
Two days after the incident at Quantico, a vehicle crashed into an outer perimeter gate of the White House in Washington, D.C., resulting in the death of the driver. President Joe Biden, who was away for the weekend in Delaware, was not present during the incident, and the Secret Service confirmed that there was no threat to the White House.
The driver, a male whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was found deceased in the vehicle following the crash, which took place shortly before 10:30 p.m.
The Secret Service promptly enacted security measures, assuring the public that there was no immediate threat to the White House. Both the Secret Service and local law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the incident to determine its cause and any underlying factors.
Tragedy struck at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story in Virginia on Sunday, April 28, when a driver attempted to breach security protocols at the installation’s gate and crashed into a hydraulic barricade. Despite attempts by the base’s fire company to extinguish the resulting fire, the driver succumbed to the crash. According to a public affairs officer, the vehicle disregarded security checks and barreled through the gate at high speed.
On April 3, at Naval Base San Diego, an internal security vehicle triggered chaos at the Norman Scott Gate. The unmarked vehicle, belonging to the base’s security team, breached the gate without stopping, prompting the activation of emergency barricades. The ensuing collision injured three occupants, including two civilian officers and one active-duty military member.
On March 27, 2024, at Twentynine Palms, California, a Chinese national made a brazen attempt to gain access to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. Despite being informed by military police that he lacked authorization, the individual proceeded past gate guards, prompting immediate intervention by law enforcement. The suspect was swiftly detained and transferred to Customs and Border Patrol custody.Â
Kelly Sienkowski is a freelance reporter for Potomac Local News. If you’re not getting our FREE email newsletter, you are missing out. Subscribe Now!
Fire and rescue crews are on the scene of a brush fire on Interstate 95 near Quantico.
As you can see from the photos above, taken from VDOT cameras, smoke is billowing from the forested areas on the southbound side of the highway, near milepost 148, Quantico Marine Corps Base’s back gate.
At least two lanes of I-95 South are blocked by the fire scene, resulting in more than four miles of backups.
I-95 SOUTHBOUND: Expect delays approaching exit 148 (Quantico) near Stafford and Prince William county line for a brush fire. 2 I-95 southbound lanes remain open. Congestion begins 4+ miles approaching scene. @VaDOTNOVA @VaDOT @MCB_Quantico pic.twitter.com/WvJqlFFhnY
— VDOT Fredericksburg (@VaDOTFRED) April 15, 2024
More as we have it.
Last month, brush fires in the same areas forced the closure of Route 1 and snarled traffic for those trying to exit Quantico Marine Corps Base. Some base staffers were trapped on base for three to four hours.
Quantico Mayor Kevin Brown says the Marine Corps base in which his town sits will not open a closed gate that would provide emergency crews easier access to the town while brush fires rage and traffic remains snarled for five miles.
Brown said he placed multiple requests to Quantico Marine Corps Base officials to open a gate on Broadway Street. Brown said the additional access would make it easier for fire and rescue crews to access the town in an emergency.
Brown’s request was met with a “no,” and military police officers laughed at him on the phone, he said. Meanwhile, he’s still working to escalate his request higher up in the Marine Corps command chain.
The requests come as a line of cars stretches from Hosptial Point through town and up the nearly five-mile stretch of Russell Road to the base’s main gate near Dumfries.
A series of brush fires closed a portion of Route 1. Emergency crews are working to douse the flames. Drivers stuck in the backup have been texting us information and photos of what they see to 571-989-1695.
Quantico erected the gate at Broadway Street in 2020, following heightened base security rules following the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on January 2, 2020.
Brown said Quantico opened the gate this past weekend, March 16 and 17, to allow work on the railroad to commence. The gate was closed again on the evening of March 17.
For at least two years, Brown and members of his town council have petitioned to relax those restrictions and open the Broadway gate. Brown says trains often block the town’s main entrance at Potomac Avenue, preventing anyone, including emergency vehicles, from entering or exiting.
Earlier this month, Insidenova.com reported that a Montclair resident has filed a complaint in federal court against the Department of the Navy, alleging constitutional violations in restrictions on access to the town of Quantico.
Jennifer Nikolaisen claims the Navy-Marine Corps Installation Commander’s Interim Access Control Policy has caused a violation of First and Fifth Amendment rights by restricting access to the use of Fuller Road, which is the primary point of access to and from the town of Quantico, where Nikolaisen owns private property.
Route 1 at the Prince William County/Stafford County line is closed due to a brush fire, the Stafford sheriff reports on X.
That has prompted a significant back up for people trying to get off Quantico Marine Corps Base. Phyllis Thibodeaux sent us the photo above. “Trying to get off Quantico base to 95. Been stuck in traffic for three hours,” she texted Potomac Local.
Thibodeaux is sitting in her car on Russell Road, trying to reach the base’s main gate near Dumfries. We’ve asked her to text us again to tell us when she gets moving.
Her delays, and those for many other area drivers, come as firefighters in both counties have been working several brush fires all afternoon since about 1 o’clock.
“It’s been a very busy afternoon,” said Prince William Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Matt Smolksy.
A total of 39 outside and brush fires have been dispatched since Noon today. The majority of those are small fires, but Prince William fire crews are working three larger fires at the following locations:
4700 blk Locust Shade & Rt 1. – units still actively fighting a brush fire. This incident was also reported on Richmond Highway/Russell Road. Richmond Hwy NB is closed for FD operations.
2800 block Dale Blvd. (this fire is extinguished)
10600 block of Parkgate Drive in Nokesville (this fire is nearly extinguished)
“It appears things are quieting down. All fires are under control, and the number of dispatches has slowed. More normal weather conditions are predicted for tomorrow,” said Smolksy.
No injuries or damage to structures have been reported. Prince William fire crews received help from Quantico, Manassas, Manassas Park, Stafford, and Fairfax counties.
In Stafford County, crews have been working on three larger fires for the majority of the afternoon. We’ll have more on that as we have it.
Earlier today, the National Weather Service issued a “red flag” warning for the entire region up until 8 p.m. The combination of dry conditions, low humidity, and strong gusty winds of up to 50 and 60 mph have created favorable conditions for the rapid spread of these fires.
Please email or text your photos to 571-989-1695. More as we have it.
Among its notable features, the project boasts a newly added right-turn lane along Joplin Road leading to northbound U.S. 1, alongside a realigned Fuller Heights Road intersection. This realignment facilitates north and southbound access through the incorporation of a roundabout at the intersection of Fuller Heights Road and Old Triangle Road.
Deshundra Jefferson, Chair At-Large of the Board of County Supervisors, expressed gratitude towards the various entities involved in making the project a reality. “You guys have really done an amazing job with this,” remarked Jefferson during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I’m proud to say that these road improvements are a significant step in moving Prince William towards our strategic goal by easing congestion and improving mobility in the Triangle area for residents, local businesses, and our military facilities.”
Andrea Bailey, Potomac District Supervisor, highlighted the project’s multifaceted approach toward enhancing the quality of life in the region. “This project is a small part of the work done and awaiting us to enhance the quality of life in this area,” stated Bailey. “We listened to the concerns of our residents regarding traffic on Joplin accessing Route 1 and I-95 to be safe during peak traffic hours and sharing the work of ensuring our county’s roadways are safe and relieved of traffic congestion.”
Monica Backmon, Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), emphasized the significance of collaboration in project completion. “It is rare that a project, regardless of the scope and scale, gets done without several entities coming to the table, collaborating,” noted Backmon. “For the Authority’s part, it was bringing funding. We all collaborate; and not only does this project visualize or really bring to light the collaboration, improved accessibility, safety options, modal options, all of that that you get.”
Terry Yates, Northern Virginia Local Assistance Manager for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), echoed sentiments regarding the importance of collaboration. “People wonder why transportation projects take so long, and it’s just a tremendous amount of collaboration,” remarked Yates. “Years ago, it was mostly technical and engineering, and there are so many other aspects, multimodal, cultural, citizen buy-in, all these things must gel before a project comes together.”
Brown says the town took to Facebook on Saturday, Feb. 10, to express its frustration. The town posted a photo of a train stopped on the tracks, blocking Potomac Avenue, the town’s entrance.
“Lives are being put at risk due to the closure of the Broadway Street Gate (Gate 3) and lack of access to the Martin Street underpass. Unsat. Not Semper Fidelis. RR blocked for over 30 mins,” a town staffer posted on Facebook.
Since the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 2, 2020, access to the town has been restricted to only those who live and work in the town. Last year, Potomac Local told you Quantico town officials had asked their neighbors on Quantico Marines Corps Base to reopen multiple streets that were closed after Solemani’s death; the Marine Corps ratcheted up security and required everyone entering the base to have a military ID or get special clearance.
Drivers must pass through the base to get to the town, which predates the base’s 1917 opening.
Brown told Potomac Local the town has not received a response from the Marines since posting to Facebook last weekend. Multiple requests for comment about this issue since the town made its post have also gone unanswered.
Potomac Avenue is the town’s main entrance and exit. It is a street with a view of the river that shares its name, and most town shops are on it.
Brown said he’s also trying to rally federal help from Senator Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the town’s congresswoman.
The railroad track at the town’s entrance carries Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express, and freight trains. The base is putting the finishing touches on improvements to the passenger train station.
Brown told Potomac Local last year that when trains stop on the tracks for extended periods, that spells problems for residents, preventing them from leaving. Brown said stalled trains also prevent emergency vehicles from entering to render aid promptly.
Before the restrictions, drivers could also enter the town on Broadway Street or use a railroad underpass on Martin Street.
Last year, base spokesman Capt. Michael Curtis told us Base Commander Col. Michael L. Brooks continues to work with the town and federal officials to ensure access to the town. While it’s not like it used to be before 2020 when civilians could show a Virginia license at the main gate and drive to town, the Marine Corps is working on a solution to fit the needs of residents and Marines.
About 600 people live in Quantico town.
Marine Corps Heritage Foundation:Â “The National Museum of the Marine Corps is hosting a series of events to celebrate the holiday season.”
“Admission to the Museum and parking are free, and all events are open to the general public. The full list of events can be found online.”
“Holiday Film Series: The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation’s annual holiday film series continues in 2023 with four movies showing on the Museum’s Medal of Honor Theater giant screen throughout December.”
You can find the theater at 1775 Semper Fidelis Way, Triangle.
“Tickets are $8 each and can be purchased online. Moviegoers can add a snack bundle to enjoy during the show. Showings are on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.”
- December 9-10: Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018)
- December 16-17: Home Alone
- December 23-24: A Year Without a Santa Claus
“Cookies, Cocoa, and Crafts: Create holiday memories at the National Museum of the Marine Corps on Dec. 9. From 12-3 p.m., kids can enjoy free cookies and cocoa while creating a holiday themed picture frame on the second floor of the Museum. While supplies last.”
“Santa Claus Visits: Santa Claus is paying a visit to the Museum on December 9 and 12 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Families can meet Santa and take photos with him. To ensure a photo with Santa, families must be in line by 3:00 p.m. and bring their own camera.”
