Terror watch list tops 755,000 names

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- A new U.S. government report revealed the federal terrorist watch list has grown to more than 755,000 names.

The Government Accountability Office report said the list -- which is used to screen people entering the United States via land border crossings, airports and seaports -- has grown by 200,000 names every year since 2004, USA Today reported Wednesday.

Some lawmakers and experts have warned the list could lose its effectiveness if it grows to include too many names.

"It undermines the authority of the list," said Lisa Graves of the Center for National Security Studies. "There's just no rational, reasonable estimate that there's anywhere close to that many suspected terrorists."

The GAO said about 53,000 people on the list have been questioned since 2004, but the Homeland Security Department does not keep track of how many people are denied entry into the United States after questioning. The GAO said the majority of those questioned were apparently released eventually and allowed to enter the country.