Republicans criticize Biden for allowing suspected ISIS terrorists into the U.S.

Senate Republicans are outraged following reports by the New York Post that the Biden administration has allowed eight individuals suspected of ISIS affiliations into the United States after their arrival at the southern border.

The apprehensions were part of a coordinated sting operation in three cities, capturing illegal immigrants linked to the Islamic State, but only after they were released within the U.S.

Despite assurances from the Biden administration about thorough screening processes, it was later discovered in 2023 that these individuals posed significant national security threats.

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), expressing his concern on social media, highlighted the severity of the situation by stating, “The only thing more shocking than @JoeBiden’s open border is that we have not had a terror attack on our soil yet.”

Similarly, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) reflected on the ongoing border crisis since Biden’s inauguration in early 2021, emphasizing the heightened risk of a terrorist attack, the likes of which the country hasn’t faced since 9/11.

The arrests were made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia, where authorities intercepted communications discussing bomb-making.

This incident comes in a fiscal year where Border Patrol apprehended over 172 known or suspected terrorists entering through the U.S.-Mexico or U.S.-Canada borders, a sharp increase from the lower numbers recorded during the Trump administration and a growing concern given the escalating violence in the Middle East.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, speaking before the Senate in August 2022, acknowledged the absence of an imminent threat from foreign terrorist organizations at the border, but cautioned against complacency, noting terrorists’ constant search for vulnerabilities to exploit.

Adding to the debate, Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake pointed out the origin of the suspected terrorists, emphasizing the significance of their journey from Tajikistan—a country previously linked to a horrific terrorist attack in Russia—to the U.S. border, spotlighting the broader implications of border security and immigration policies on national safety.