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Staff Writer

DHS Allowed 400 ISIS Terrorist Suspects in to Country

In a chilling development, the Department of Homeland Security's pursuit of over 400 migrants linked to an ISIS-affiliated smuggling network has thrust concerns over national security into the spotlight, sparking urgent efforts to locate and apprehend those whose whereabouts remain unknown.


The Department of Homeland Security has uncovered a disturbing revelation: more than 400 migrants, brought to the United States from Central Asia and other regions by an ISIS-linked human smuggling network, have raised significant concerns. According to a report by NBC News, over 150 of these migrants have been apprehended, but the whereabouts of another 50 remain unknown.


US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has intensified efforts to locate and arrest those involved in these smuggling operations, primarily on immigration charges. A senior Biden administration official emphasized caution in responding to potential ISIS ties among the smuggled migrants, despite no current evidence linking them to specific threats against the US.


Many of the migrants crossed the southern border and were released into the country by Customs and Border Protection because they were not on the terrorism watchlist at the time of entry, as disclosed by three anonymous officials. Recent terrorist incidents in Russia, however, have heightened concerns about ISIS and its affiliates, prompting increased scrutiny of migrants from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and Russia — regions where ISIS-K activity has been observed.


The Department of Homeland Security has been closely monitoring arrivals from these countries. For instance, leaked border data revealed that Tajikistan alone had over 1,500 migrants enter the US between October 2020 and May 2024. The fate of most of these migrants upon entry remains unclear, although many claim asylum and are allowed to remain pending court hearings.


Christopher O’Leary, former FBI counterterrorism section chief, expressed alarm over the unknown whereabouts of some migrants, stressing the importance of ICE's efforts to locate and detain them on immigration charges, even in the absence of terrorism-related evidence.


While federal agencies are not in a state of panic, officials have identified the migrants as "subjects of concern" and are prioritizing their apprehension as a precautionary measure. Some of the arrested migrants have already been deported, primarily on immigration violations, with no terrorism-related charges filed against any individuals thus far.

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