Three Palestinian migrants were detained in the United States after crossing the southern border illegally and were discovered to have connections to terrorist organizations, as per reports in the media. Federal law enforcement sources revealed that one of the migrants had inappropriate photos on their phone, including a picture of a masked individual holding an AK-47 rifle. Additionally, a migrant from Turkey is also under suspicion of having ties to terror groups. The specific terrorist organization these migrants were linked to remains unclear.
The migrants were part of a larger group that surrendered to border agents in the San Diego Sector. They were apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force launched investigations into their backgrounds. Border agents in San Diego expressed their challenges in vetting migrants properly as they lack access to criminal databases from other countries.
Following the recent attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, border agents in San Diego have been advised to be on the lookout for individuals potentially associated with Palestinian terror groups. An alert from the San Diego Field Office Intelligence Unit warned about the possibility of individuals inspired by or reacting to the Israel-Hamas conflict attempting to travel through the Southwest border. The memo also mentioned the insignias of various terrorist organizations like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah.
Under the Biden administration, the number of illegal migrants apprehended at the border whose names appear on the terror watchlist has seen a significant increase. The figures rose from a few cases before President Biden took office to 98 in fiscal year 2022, escalating further to 169 in fiscal year 2023, according to federal data.
This situation highlights the challenges faced by border agents in maintaining national security while processing the influx of migrants at the southern border. The presence of individuals with potential ties to terrorist organizations raises concerns about the effectiveness of border security measures and the need for enhanced screening protocols. The incident underscores the importance of comprehensive vetting procedures to identify and prevent individuals with malicious intent from entering the country illegally.
