(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended the decision by immigration authorities to admit eight individuals with alleged ties to ISIS, citing initial ignorance of the men’s terror ties.
In an interview with CNN’s Jim Acosta on Laura Coates Live, Mayorkas stated, “We had eight individuals of concern as to whom we did not have derogatory information when first encountered at the border.”
Expanding on his answer, Mayorkas added, “We made determinations and the service of our law enforcement objectives in the service of our highest priority to keep the American people safe and secure, to take immigration enforcement action.”
Earlier this month, eight men from Tajikistan, alleged to have ties to ISIS, were arrested in New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, according to NBC News and the New York Post.
These individuals had been under surveillance by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force before being apprehended by ICE after their admission by the Biden administration with clean background checks.
At least two of the men were admitted in spring 2023, with one using the controversial CBP One app for entry.
NBC News reported that two of the eight had been under surveillance for several months and were later overheard discussing bombs.
Confirming the arrests, both DHS and the FBI stated, “Over the last few days, ICE agents arrested several non-citizens pursuant to immigration authorities.”
The Biden agencies continued, “The actions were carried out in close coordination with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces. The individuals arrested are detained in ICE custody pending removal proceedings … The FBI and DHS will continue working around the clock with our partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt potential threats to national security.”
