Former acting ICE Director Tom Homan warns of the growing threat posed by ISIS-K and criticizes the Biden administration's failure to secure the southern border, which facilitates terrorist infiltration.
The world witnessed the brutality of al Qaeda's offshoot, ISIS, in 2014 when it beheaded Americans and committed genocide against Iraqi Christians and Yazidis. Today, ISIS-K, its descendant, is expanding its capabilities and threatening civilians globally. Instead of strengthening national security, President Biden's lax immigration policies have created ample opportunities for ISIS-K to enter the United States, raising the risk of terrorist attacks on American soil.
Recent reports have documented the apprehension of ISIS-K affiliates crossing the southern border. In February 2022, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) detained Jovokhir Attoev, an Uzbek immigrant linked to ISIS-K. Despite Biden's release protocols, the Uzbek government issued a global notice in May, revealing Attoev's connection to the terrorist group. It took the Biden administration two years to locate him in the United States.
Similarly, Mohammad Kharwin, an Afghan immigrant apprehended in March 2023, was suspected of belonging to Hezb-e-Islami, a terrorist organization responsible for killing American service members. Officials failed to verify Kharwin's identity and allowed him to enter freely. It took thirteen months before his inclusion on the FBI's terror watch list prompted his arrest.
These incidents highlight the broader threat of undetected terrorists entering the United States. Since Biden took office, CBP has encountered over 9 million illegal border crossings, with most individuals released without any substantial screening.
Intelligence suggests that over 6,000 illegal immigrants apprehended at the border originate from countries where ISIS-K actively recruits. The number of ISIS-K affiliates or other terrorist group members residing in the United States remains unknown.
Reports indicate that human smugglers with ISIS ties have aided illegal immigration at the southern border, further exacerbating the security risk. Biden's open-border policies have left the country vulnerable to exploitation by dangerous individuals.
The solution to this crisis lies in border security and enforcing immigration laws. However, Biden has failed to reverse his open-border policies despite warnings about their consequences.
ISIS-K is no longer a distant threat but a potential presence within our borders, prepared to inflict mass destruction. Biden's facilitation of mass migration without adequate screening jeopardizes American lives and creates fertile ground for terrorist attacks.
Urgent action is required to address this threat. The Biden administration must secure the border and enforce immigration laws effectively to protect national security and prevent the infiltration of terrorist elements.
