The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has flagged over 400 migrants who entered the U.S. via a human smuggling network potentially connected to ISIS, according to two U.S. officials.
These individuals are undergoing additional scrutiny due to their link to a network previously associated with facilitating travel for Uzbek nationals across the southern border in 2023, a network with known ISIS ties.
The DHS emphasizes that the network’s primary purpose was smuggling rather than introducing terrorists. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas clarified, “We haven’t identified 400 people with potential ISIS ties.” Instead, the migrants, mainly from Central Asian nations, are being reviewed purely due to their association with the smuggling operation.
Several of these migrants have been detained, though no imminent threats have been detected so far. Vetting efforts continue, driven by increased concerns over Central Asian nationals, particularly from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, due to recent incidents linking individuals from these regions to ISIS activities.
The scrutiny follows a previous episode where Uzbek nationals entered the U.S. via the same network, leading to a heightened focus on travelers from Central Asia. U.S. officials continue to monitor potential risks posed by migrants from these areas amid fears of possible radicalization and lone-wolf attacks.
