U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites have sparked fears of retaliation, with the Department of Homeland Security sounding alarms about potential domestic terrorism from Iranian-backed operatives.
The warning, issued after Saturday’s military action, points to vulnerabilities exposed by the Biden administration’s border policies. Former national security officials are raising red flags about unchecked migration, suggesting it may have rolled out the welcome mat for Iranian sleeper cells.
Fox News reported that the Department of Homeland Security issued a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin highlighting the risk of Iranian-inspired attacks on U.S. soil.
The Biden administration’s border approach, criticized for lax vetting, has left the nation exposed, with roughly 2 million “known gotaways” slipping through during its tenure. This flood of untracked border crossers, officials argue, created a perfect storm for adversaries to exploit.
“Definitely,” said Jonathan Fahey, former acting ICE director, when asked if Biden’s border crisis worsened the domestic threat. His blunt assessment lays bare a sobering reality: minimal vetting and a porous border handed adversaries a golden opportunity. Fahey’s words sting, but they underscore a policy failure that conservatives have long decried.
The U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday escalated tensions, prompting Iran to hold an anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli rally in Tehran on June 20, 2025.
The Department of Homeland Security warned that Iranian leadership could issue a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence, potentially mobilizing extremists in the U.S. Such a directive would likely amplify threats from those already radicalized by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment.
“Multiple recent Homeland terrorist attacks have been motivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment,” the DHS bulletin noted. The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, now spilling onto U.S. soil, could inspire lone wolves or organized cells to act. This chilling prospect highlights the stakes of failing to secure the border.
During the Biden administration, over 700 Iranian nationals were released into the U.S. despite terrorism concerns, a move critics call reckless.
Roughly half of the 1,500 Iranian nationals who entered illegally were allowed to stay, with little scrutiny. This catch-and-release approach, conservatives argue, gambles with national security.
Fahey didn’t mince words: “They weren’t doing any really meaningful vetting in the last administration.” His critique exposes a border strategy that prioritized humanitarian concerns over security, leaving Americans vulnerable. The contrast with the Trump administration, which released no individuals in May compared to Biden’s 62,000, is stark.
“We have probably 2 million known gotaways come through the last administration,” Fahey added, emphasizing the scale of the problem.
These untracked individuals, who evaded border patrol, represent a blind spot that adversaries could exploit. The sheer volume of gotaways fuels conservative outrage over what they see as an abdication of duty.
Chris Swecker, former FBI assistant director, called the release of over 1,000 Iranian nationals “gross negligence.” He lamented the missed chance to gather intelligence through thorough vetting, a failure that leaves the U.S. in the dark about potential threats. Swecker’s frustration resonates with those who believe Biden’s policies invited danger.
“We don’t know where those thousand Iranians are,” Swecker told Fox News Digital, highlighting the uncertainty plaguing national security.
The decision to release these individuals without proper checks is a sore point for conservatives, who see it as emblematic of progressive overreach. Empathy for migrants, they argue, shouldn’t trump the safety of Americans.
Tom Homan, Border Czar, echoed this sentiment on “Sunday Morning Futures,” warning that over 2 million gotaways created “the biggest national security vulnerability this country’s ever seen.” His stark assessment paints a grim picture of a border overwhelmed by Biden’s humanitarian focus. Conservatives nod in agreement, seeing it as a wake-up call.
“All of our adversaries knew at the time that we had an open border,” Fahey said, underscoring the strategic advantage handed to nations like Iran. The lack of resistance at the border, he argued, gave hostile actors “carte blanche” to infiltrate. This damning critique fuels the conservative push for tougher immigration policies.
Amid these concerns, ICE agents conducted an arrest in Chicago on January 26, 2025, as part of President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
The operation reflects a return to stringent enforcement, a hallmark of Trump’s agenda that conservatives cheer. It’s a direct rebuke to the Biden-era policies that many believe left the nation exposed.
The DHS bulletin warned that the Israel-Iran conflict could spur U.S.-based individuals to plot additional attacks, particularly those driven by anti-Semitic motives. This heightened threat environment demands robust border security, conservatives argue, not open-door policies. The bulletin’s sobering message reinforces their call for vigilance.
