Smuggling networks at work: Illegal immigrants from terrorism hotbeds sneak into U.S. through Mexico

The U.S.–Mexico border fence near El Paso, Texas (Wikimedia Commons)

The threat of another terrorist attack hitting the United States has become bigger, no thanks to the migrant problem caused by the raging conflict in the Middle East.

Illegal immigrants from Arab countries known to be hotbeds of terrorist activities have managed to sneak into the U.S. through its Mexican border using a smuggling network, The Washington Times revealed in a report.

Internal government documents reviewed by the newspaper showed that U.S. immigration authorities have so far been able to identify at least a dozen men from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Palestine who have been smuggled into the U.S. through the help of the smuggling network based in Brazil which has contacts in Mexico.

Among those who managed to enter the U.S. through these illegal activities is an Afghan man who has been identified by Homeland Security officials to have family ties to the Taliban and was "involved in a plot to conduct an attack in the U.S. and/or Canada."

The newspaper reported that this man is already in the custody of U.S. authorities, but could not be named at present upon the request of law enforcement officials to protect their investigation.

The documents reviewed by The Washington Times were provided by Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter from California. His chief of staff, Joe Kasper, described the findings as "disturbing in so many ways."

"The interdiction of this group ... validates once again that the southern border is wide open to more than people looking to enter the U.S. illegally strictly for purposes of looking for work, as the administration wants us to believe," Kasper told the American newspaper.

"What's worse, federal databases weren't even synced and Border Patrol had no idea who they were arresting and the group was not considered a problem because none of them were considered a priority under the president's enforcement protocol. That's a major problem on its own," he added.

Newsletter Stay up to date with Christian Today
related articles
Top Muslim leader will meet Pope at the Vatican
Top Muslim leader will meet Pope at the Vatican

Top Muslim leader will meet Pope at the Vatican

Why we have to stop talking ABOUT Muslims and start talking TO Muslims

Why we have to stop talking ABOUT Muslims and start talking TO Muslims

New counter-extremism law will fuel terrorism, civic leaders warn
New counter-extremism law will fuel terrorism, civic leaders warn

New counter-extremism law will fuel terrorism, civic leaders warn

World\'s largest Muslim organisation admits extremism problem springs from Islamic teachings
World's largest Muslim organisation admits extremism problem springs from Islamic teachings

World's largest Muslim organisation admits extremism problem springs from Islamic teachings

News
Royal College of Nursing criticised for display of trans flag
Royal College of Nursing criticised for display of trans flag

Typically a flag denotes the ownership of a tribe or group over an area.

Christians call for ceasefire amid DRC's Ebola crisis
Christians call for ceasefire amid DRC's Ebola crisis

So far 131 people have been killed by the outbreak.

Without a culture shift, Christian street preachers will continue to be arrested
Without a culture shift, Christian street preachers will continue to be arrested

Christian street preachers are almost invariably arrested under a section of law that was originally intended to deal with football hooliganism.

Thoughts on Ruth
Thoughts on Ruth

Jewish academic and Hebrew scholar Irene Lancaster reflects on poor judges and famine through the lens of the book of Ruth.