The United States faces a growing threat from ISIS-K, an offshoot of the terrorist group al Qaeda. The Biden administration’s lax immigration policies are facilitating the illegal entry of individuals affiliated with ISIS-K and other terrorist organizations into the country. This poses a significant risk to national security, as these individuals could potentially carry out attacks on U.S. soil.
The world first saw the horrors of ISIS in 2014 when it began beheading Americans and committing genocide against Christians and Yazidis in Iraq. Today, ISIS-K is expanding its reach and capabilities, increasing the danger to innocent civilians worldwide.
In the face of this threat, the U.S. government should be working tirelessly to uphold national security. However, President Biden’s policies are doing the opposite, providing ISIS-K with easy access to the homeland and raising the possibility of terrorist attacks.
Recent incidents involving ISIS-K affiliates crossing the southern border highlight the urgency of this issue. In February 2022, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) apprehended Jovokhir Attoev, an illegal Uzbek immigrant. Despite Attoev being a single, military-aged male who had traveled thousands of miles through multiple countries, CBP released him into the country, following Biden’s protocols.
In another concerning case, Mohammad Kharwin, an illegal Afghan immigrant, was suspected of being on the FBI’s terror watch list for his alleged affiliation with Hezb-e-Islami, a terrorist organization responsible for killing American service members. When Kharwin crossed the border illegally in March 2023, officials could not verify his identity and allowed him to roam freely. It took 13 months for law enforcement to confirm his presence on the watch list and arrest him.
These incidents are just a glimpse of the broader threat posed by undetected terrorists entering the United States. Since Biden took office, CBP has recorded over 9 million encounters with illegal immigrants, the vast majority of whom remain unidentified and have not been detained or expelled.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 6,000 of these illegal immigrants come from countries where ISIS-K actively recruits. This raises serious concerns about the potential presence of ISIS-K affiliates or other terrorists within the United States.
Reports of foreign smugglers with ISIS ties facilitating illegal immigration at the southern border further compound the issue. Our porous border is being exploited by those who seek to harm our nation.
The solution to this crisis is clear: secure the border and enforce immigration laws. Biden has failed to address this issue, despite the growing threat posed by ISIS-K.
ISIS-K is not a distant threat; it is already here, potentially waiting for an opportunity to inflict mass destruction. The group’s history of violence, including the deadly attack in Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, demonstrates its capability and intent.
Biden’s policies are putting American lives at risk. The massive influx of illegal immigrants with unknown backgrounds and potential terrorist affiliations poses an unacceptable threat to national security.
The administration must act immediately to reverse its open-border policies, secure the border, and enforce immigration laws. The time for complacency is over. We must prioritize the safety and security of our nation before it’s too late.
