Homan: Iranian terror cells 'significant threat’
President Trump's border czar Tom Homan on Tuesday said Iranian terror cells are a “significant threat” to Americans, stressing border security after the U.S. stepped into the conflict between Iran and Israel.
“Let me start with the Iranian threat … How big of a threat do these terrorist cells pose to Americans?” Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo asked.
“Well, it's a significant threat,” Homan said.
“And I have been talking about this for four years," he added. "When I was a Fox News contributor, before I came back with President Trump, and for four years I said my biggest concern is the open border causing the biggest national security vulnerability this country has ever seen.”
Homan suggested that these cells are “involved in a lot of crime,” including drug and sex trafficking, "because they've got to finance their activity."
His comments come after the U.S. got involved in an ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran after bombing Iranian nuclear sites.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) this week warned that the threat of sleeper cells in the U.S. has “never been higher,” though it cited no specific threats.
A memo sent Saturday from CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott, obtained by The Hill’s sister network NewsNation, said “thousands of Iranian nationals have been documented entering the United States illegally and countless more were likely in the known and unknown got-aways.”
“Though we have not received any specific credible threats to share with you all currently, the threat of sleeper cells or sympathizers acting on their own, or at the behest of Iran has never been higher,” Scott added.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) bulletin on Sunday warning of a “heightened threat environment” after the strikes.