WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the subcommittee that has oversight over the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – called on FBI Director Christopher Wray to provide answers on the recent arrests of suspected terrorists in the United States. Yesterday, eight ISIS-connected suspected terrorists from Tajikistan were arrested after crossing the southern border last year. Sen. Moran’s inquiry to FBI Director Wray was first reported in Fox News.

“Our adversaries know our southern border is wide open, putting American lives at risk,” said Sen. Moran. “Last week, I questioned FBI Director Wray regarding steps the FBI is taking to protect Americans from terrorists illegally crossing the southern border. I appreciate the FBI’s work to track down these eight potential terrorists, but the fact of the matter is, the Biden administration should never have allowed these suspected terrorists onto U.S. soil in the first place. The failure to secure the southern border has left our country vulnerable to attack, and the American people need to know the steps the FBI is taking to ensure suspected terrorists are apprehended immediately at the border and not allowed to walk freely in the United States.”

Click here to watch Sen. Moran question FBI Director Wray on potential terrorists entering the country.  

Sen. Moran requested that FBI Director Wray provide answers on the following questions:

• Based on your understanding of this case and our discussion last week, how were these individuals allowed to enter the United States?
• Do either of the two categories of issues you outlined for me apply in this case?
• Most importantly, what can the FBI do to ensure that suspected terrorists and watch-list subjects do not make it to our major cities or anywhere else inside the United States?

The full letter can be found here and below:

Director Wray:

Last week, during the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) budget hearing before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, we discussed the concerning trend that more known or suspected terrorists are exploiting our southern border to gain access to the United States. Today, we have learned that eight ISIS suspects, nationals of Tajikistan, were finally arrested after crossing the southern border last year, despite being vetted during their initial processing.

The Biden administration’s policies allow those entering our country illegally to move freely about the United States. The FBI, along with its intelligence and law enforcement partners, must act decisively to stop the terrorists who will inevitably exploit this vulnerability.

As we discussed last week, we share the same concern about suspected terrorists and watch-list subjects crossing the border. You testified that: "The bigger problem, in my view, is twofold. One, individuals who, when they come in, are either armed with fake documents or snuck in some way or – or, and this is very important, individuals for whom there's not enough derogatory information in the intelligence community to watch list them yet."

In this case the eight Tajikistan nationals with ties to ISIS were allowed to enter the US and later arrested in New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in conjunction with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.

1. Based on your understanding of this case and our discussion last week, how were these individuals allowed to enter the United States?
2. Do either of the two categories of issues you outlined for me apply in this case?
3. Most importantly, what can the FBI do to ensure that suspected terrorists and watch-list subjects do not make it to our major cities or anywhere else inside the United States?

I stand ready to work with you to solve this critical issue facing our country. Because of this administration’s immigration and parole polices, the burden will remain on our intelligence and law enforcement communities to address this threat on US soil. We must do everything in our power to ensure the safety of the American people.

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