Border Patrol released migrant on terror watchlist into US twice in 1 year

Apr 12

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Jonah Applegarth (Video Editor)

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NBC News has reported that Mohammad Kharwin, an Afghan migrant identified on the U.S. terror watchlist, was released into the United States twice by border agents after illegally crossing near San Ysidro, California, in March of 2023. Customs and Border Protection identified Kharwin as a member of Hezb-i-Islami (HIG), which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization. Despite suspicions, lack of sufficient evidence to confirm his status on the watchlist led to his release.

Officials did not notify the FBI or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which allowed Kharwin to seek asylum, work and travel within the U.S.

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In February 2024, ICE detained Kharwin again. He was later released on $12,000 bail and given freedom within the U.S., with a requirement to appear at a future court hearing.

The Department of Homeland Security has stated that Customs and Border Protection did not knowingly release anyone on the terrorist watchlist.

“At the time of the initial encounter, the information in the record could not have provided a conclusive match. As soon as there was information to suggest that this individual was of concern, he was taken into custody by ICE,” a department spokesperson said.

This incident occurs amid record numbers of migrant crossings into the U.S., with less than 0.1% of all encounters involving individuals on the terrorist watchlist.

NBC News analysis shows a slight decrease in migrants on the terrorist watchlist encountered at U.S. borders under the Biden administration, averaging 0.02%, compared to 0.05% during the Trump administration.

Since the beginning of the year, Border Patrol has encountered over 366,000 migrants at the southern border.

Homeland Security confirmed Kharwin’s arrest Thursday, April 11, marking his third arrest since his illegal entry into the U.S. Officials emphasize there is currently no evidence he entered the U.S. for a terrorist mission.

Tags: Afghanistan, Border, Border patrol, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Immigration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S.-Mexico Border

“Any terrorist or terrorist-linked individual trying to come into this country is unacceptable.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

NBC NEWS REPORTS AN AFGHAN MIGRANT ON THE U.S. TERRORIST WATCHLIST, WAS TWICE RELEASED INTO THE U-S BY BORDER AGENTS AFTER ILLEGALLY CROSSING NEAR SAN YSIDRO, CALIFORNIA, IN MARCH LAST YEAR.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION — THE NATIONAL TERRORIST WATCHLIST IDENTIFIED MOHAMMAD KHARWIN AS A MEMBER OF HEZB-I-ISLAMI, OR H-I-G, A GROUP DESIGNATED BY THE U-S AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION FOR ITS POLITICAL AND PARAMILITARY ACTIVITIES.

DESPITE INITIAL SUSPICIONS, AUTHORITIES LACKED SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CONFIRM HIS WATCHLIST STATUS, LEADING TO HIS RELEASE.

C-B-P OFFICIALS RELEASED KHARWIN WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE F-B-I OR IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, WHICH ALLOWED HIM TO SEEK ASYLUM, WORK, AND TRAVEL FREELY WITHIN THE U.S.

IN FEBRUARY 2024, NEARLY A YEAR AFTER THE FIRST ENCOUNTER, ICE OFFICIALS DETAINED KHARWIN AGAIN. HE SUBSEQUENTLY APPEARED IN COURT, POSTED A $12,000 BAIL AND WAS GRANTED FREEDOM WITHIN THE U.S., WITH THE CONDITION TO APPEAR AT A COURT HEARING NEXT YEAR.

NBC REPORTS THAT ICE PROSECUTORS DID NOT SHARE SOME CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WITH THE JUDGE THAT SHOWED KHARWIN’S alleged TIES TO THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. ICE HAS NOT APPEALED THE JUDGE’S DECISION

The Department of Homeland Security MAINTAINS that CBP did not “knowingly” release anyone listed on the terrorist watchlist, ADDING:

THIS COMES AS THE U-S EXPERIENCES A RECORD NUMBER OF MIGRANT CROSSINGS, LESS THAN ZERO POINT ONE PERCENT OF ALL ENCOUNTERS UNDER PRESIDENTS BIDEN AND TRUMP INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS ON THE TERRORIST WATCH LIST.

SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR, BORDER PATROL HAS ENCOUNTERED OVER 366-THOUSAND MIGRANTS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

ACCORDING TO HOMELAND SECURITY KHARWIN WAS ARRESTED THURSDAY NIGHT

— HIS THIRD ARREST SINCE ILLEGALLY CROSSING INTO THE US. THEY NOTE THERE IS CURRENTLY NO EVIDENCE HE ENTERED THE U-S FOR A TERRORIST MISSION.