The Biden Harris administration has seen an increase in the number of migrants on the US terror watchlist being apprehended after crossing the southern border. This includes individuals suspected of having ties to ISIS and other terrorist organizations. The ease with which terrorists are able to enter the US through the southern border is due to vetting procedures that rely on US databases that may lack intelligence from other countries regarding possible terror suspects. While the federal report did not name these terror suspects, The Post has identified several individuals from various news reports and sources within Homeland Security.
In particular, cases involving individuals such as Palestinian national Omar Shehada, listed on the terror watchlist for using explosives/arms for an unnamed terrorist organization, and Lebanese national Basel Bassel Ebbadi, who confessed to being a Hezbollah member and attempting to make a bomb in the US, have highlighted the threat posed by individuals crossing the border. Instances of terrorists slipping through the cracks and not being counted in border data have also been reported, such as eight Tajik nationals with suspected ties to ISIS who were eventually found planning an attack on LGBTQ individuals in Philadelphia.
Border Patrol sources have expressed concern over the vetting process, noting that it would be easy for a terrorist to enter the US undetected and be released into the country within a few days. The lack of follow-up and monitoring once individuals are released into the country poses a significant risk as they could engage in nefarious activities without detection. The number of terror suspects apprehended under the Biden-Harris administration has far surpassed the numbers reported during the Trump administration, highlighting the increase in security risks at the US-Mexico border.
Former Homeland Security officials have criticized the Biden/Harris administration for its policies on border security, which they believe are enabling criminal and terrorist organizations to exploit the situation. The Department of Homeland Security has warned that the threat environment in the US will remain high, with individuals with terrorism ties continuing to attempt to enter the country through various means, including the southern border. The potential for individuals with terrorism connections to exploit migration flows and the immigration system to enter the US poses an ongoing security challenge that agencies are working to address.
Overall, the increase in the number of individuals with terrorism ties being apprehended at the US-Mexico border under the Biden-Harris administration has raised concerns about national security and border integrity. The ease with which these individuals are entering the country and the gaps in the vetting process have highlighted the need for stronger border security measures and improved intelligence sharing. As the threat environment remains high, agencies are working to address these challenges and prevent individuals with terrorism connections from entering the US through the southern border.
