Federal investigators recently arrested eight foreign nationals with alleged ties to ISIS, as confirmed by multiple officials to CBS News. These individuals, Tajikistani nationals, were apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia.

They are currently facing immigration charges, although no active terror plot was identified. Information of concern arose through a wiretap after these individuals had already entered the U.S.

The arrests, first reported by the New York Post, followed warnings from FBI Director Christopher Wray in April about human smuggling operations at the southern border potentially bringing in people with terror group connections. Sources indicated that the individuals were vetted by law enforcement upon entry and initially showed no ties to ISIS. However, subsequent concerns about their presence led to their apprehension.

A senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official stated that the arrested migrants crossed the southern border without proper documents and were released into the U.S. with notices to appear in immigration court. At the time of their release, DHS had no information linking them to ISIS. These individuals are now in ICE detention, facing deportation proceedings for civil immigration violations.

Deporting these individuals to Tajikistan poses significant challenges due to operational and diplomatic reasons. ICE data shows that only four migrants were deported to Tajikistan in fiscal year 2023. The ongoing detention of these individuals reflects the complexities involved in such deportations.

The arrests were coordinated with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces. Both the FBI and DHS emphasized that the U.S. remains in a heightened threat environment. They assured that they will continue to work tirelessly with partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt any potential threats to national security.