Federal investigators recently arrested eight foreign nationals in the U.S. who are believed to have ties to the terrorist group ISIS. The arrests were made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia, and the individuals are facing immigration charges.
There was no active terror plot, and the information leading to the arrests came in part through wiretaps after the individuals had entered the U.S. The arrests were first reported by the New York Post.
These arrests come after FBI Director Christopher Wray warned about human smuggling operations at the southern border potentially involving people connected to terror groups.
The individuals had been vetted by law enforcement when they entered the U.S., and there were no initial indications of their ties to ISIS. However, law enforcement became concerned about their presence in the U.S., leading to the arrests.
The eight migrants arrested crossed the southern border without proper documents and were released into the U.S. with notices to appear in immigration court. They are now in ICE detention facing deportation proceedings.
Deporting these migrants to Tajikistan, their home country, is challenging for operational and diplomatic reasons. In the 2023 fiscal year, ICE only deported four migrants to Tajikistan.
The arrests were conducted with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces, and the individuals are in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. The FBI and DHS continue to work closely to identify and disrupt potential threats to national security.