DHS Officials Warn of Iranian Retaliation via Southern Border Crossings

National Security Threat from Southern Border

• ⚠️ Iranian nationals are a growing concern for U.S. law enforcement due to potential retaliatory attacks and the activation of sleeper cells.
• 📈 Between January 2021 and the present, Border Patrol agents have encountered 2,510 Iranian nationals at the southern border, with approximately 75% being men.
• ❓ The exact number of Iranian nationals released into the U.S. is undisclosed by the Department of Homeland Security, creating uncertainty.

ICE Arrests and Terrorist Links

• 🚨 Over the weekend, ICE arrested 11 Iranian nationals illegally residing in the U.S., some with alleged ties to terrorism and violent crimes.
• 🪖 One individual was identified as a former Iranian army sniper, and another admitted ties to Hezbollah and was a former member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.
• ✈️ DHS officials indicate that some individuals entered the U.S. through Biden-era visa or parole programs, while others overstayed visas or evaded deportation orders.

Congressional Scrutiny and Broader Concerns

• 🏛️ Texas Congressman Tony Gonzalez questioned the U.S. Attorney General about the national security risks posed by Iranian nationals crossing the border, noting over a thousand have entered.
• 🌍 Security officials are also concerned about proxies from neighboring countries that have illegally crossed the southern border.
• 🤝 ICE also arrested a U.S. citizen accused of harboring a fugitive and threatening officers during a raid.