Media outlets were informed by officials on Tuesday that a group of eight individuals from Tajikistan, believed to have connections with an Islamic State branch, were apprehended in New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia after entering the United States through the southern border.
According to sources from CBS News, ABC News, and NBC News, eight foreign nationals were recently arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for immigration-related charges.
Authorities have revealed that although eight individuals who crossed the border last year and earlier this year did not raise any national security concerns, they were later found to have suspected ties to IS-Khorasan, also known as IS-K. This information was discovered through a wiretap.
According to a statement from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, ICE agents have made several arrests of non-citizens in recent days as part of their immigration enforcement efforts.
According to a statement released, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces worked closely to carry out the necessary actions. The individuals who were arrested are currently being detained under ICE custody, and their removal proceedings are pending.
At present, the FBI and DHS are collaborating to deport the group of eight migrants, as per officials, who stated that there is insufficient evidence to press terrorism charges against them. Sources have revealed that the federal agencies have confirmed the absence of any ongoing terror conspiracy.
According to a Department of Homeland Security official who spoke to CBS News, eight migrants entered the United States without the necessary documents and were issued notices to appear in immigration court.
Months after FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Congress about the “range of threats emanating from the border” and called for increased funding, arrests have finally been made.
During his testimony in April, Wray expressed growing concern about the possibility of a coordinated attack within the United States, similar to the ISIS-K attack at the Russia Concert Hall.
Tuesday’s statement on the arrests stated that the United States is currently experiencing a heightened threat environment, as recently described by the FBI and DHS in public and partner bulletins.
“Our partners and we, at the FBI and DHS, will persistently work to identify, investigate, and thwart potential threats to national security, round the clock.”
The National Counterterrorism Center identifies IS-K as one of the most lethal factions of ISIS, responsible for carrying out devastating assaults in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Additionally, the group has also targeted Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with ambitions to launch similar attacks in Europe and the United States.
In 2016, the United States sanctioned it as a foreign terrorist organization.