A South African migrant flagged on the FBI’s terror watchlist was released by federal authorities under the Biden administration—only to be recaptured in Brooklyn after a multi-agency manhunt, raising alarm over national security lapses at the border.
A suspected terrorist released by the Biden administration has been recaptured in Brooklyn, New York, following a multi-agency manhunt. The individual, identified as Umar Farooq Ashraf, a South African migrant flagged in the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB), had previously been detained in Texas in September 2024 for criminal trespass. Despite being identified as a potential security threat, federal immigration authorities released him to pursue an asylum claim.
Details of the Arrest and Release
Farooq Ashraf was initially detained by Texas Highway Patrol under Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star. State authorities discovered his alert in the FBI’s TSDB, which connects individuals to terrorism-related activities or known terrorists. However, federal officials released him into the U.S. without fully investigating the alert. Chief of Border Patrol Jason Owens confirmed his release, stating it was based on "information available at the time."
A Pattern of Lapses
The Biden administration’s handling of terror-linked migrants has faced intense scrutiny. Since fiscal year 2021, over 385 migrants flagged in the TSDB have been encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border, a stark contrast to just 14 under the Trump administration. This isn't the first time a migrant flagged in the TSDB has been released. A 2022 DHS Inspector General report revealed that a migrant flagged on the watchlist in Arizona was released and later encountered at an airport attempting to travel within the U.S.
Implications for National Security
Critics argue that these lapses highlight systemic failures in immigration enforcement under the Biden-Harris administration, raising questions about the government’s ability to prioritize national security amid the ongoing border crisis. Farooq Ashraf’s recapture in Brooklyn may signal the end of his freedom, but it also underscores the risks posed by policy decisions allowing potential threats to roam freely within the country.
Farooq Ashraf now awaits removal proceedings in federal custody, but the broader concerns about national security and immigration enforcement remain unresolved.
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