WASHINGTON, D.C.— Authorities within the Federal Government have raised alarm regarding the possibility of Iranian terror-backed sleeper cells operating within the continental United States after the successful Operation Midnight Hammer “completely and totally obliterated” Iranian nuclear facilities.
"The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if the Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland,” a National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated Sunday.
The bulletin warned in particular that, “US law enforcement has disrupted multiple potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots in the United States since 2020.
During this timeframe, the Iranian government has also unsuccessfully targeted critics of its regime who are based in the Homeland for lethal attack.”
DHS noted the unique hazard of a fatwa, a ruling under Islamic law, being declared by Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and the potential terror implications of such an order.
“If Iranian leadership were to issue a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against specific targets in the Homeland, it could increase the likelihood that a supporter of the Iranian regime is inspired to commit an act of violence in the Homeland.”
"It is our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict," a DHS spokesman said in a statement to Fox News.
"The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict brings the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyberattacks, acts of violence, and antisemitic hate crimes."
White House border czar Tom Homan told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that 1,272 unvetted Iranian nationals were released into the U.S. under the Biden Administration.
Homan explained, “The last four years, my biggest concern was this open border… biggest national security vulnerability this country has ever seen.” Homan added that of even greater concern are the over 2 million "unknown gotaways," unvetted illegal aliens whose national origins and affiliations are unknown.
"Because of the open borders, we are at a serious catch-up phase. We don't know where those thousand Iranians are and who knows how many others got across the border,” Former FBI assistant director Chris Swecker told the outlet.
“We missed an opportunity when they caught and released those thousand. We missed the opportunity to gather intel by interviewing them and thoroughly vetting them. We just simply let them go, which is gross negligence on the part of the Biden administration."
"The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if the Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland,” a National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated Sunday.
The bulletin warned in particular that, “US law enforcement has disrupted multiple potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots in the United States since 2020.
During this timeframe, the Iranian government has also unsuccessfully targeted critics of its regime who are based in the Homeland for lethal attack.”
DHS noted the unique hazard of a fatwa, a ruling under Islamic law, being declared by Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and the potential terror implications of such an order.
“If Iranian leadership were to issue a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against specific targets in the Homeland, it could increase the likelihood that a supporter of the Iranian regime is inspired to commit an act of violence in the Homeland.”
"It is our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict," a DHS spokesman said in a statement to Fox News.
"The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict brings the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyberattacks, acts of violence, and antisemitic hate crimes."
White House border czar Tom Homan told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that 1,272 unvetted Iranian nationals were released into the U.S. under the Biden Administration.
Homan explained, “The last four years, my biggest concern was this open border… biggest national security vulnerability this country has ever seen.” Homan added that of even greater concern are the over 2 million "unknown gotaways," unvetted illegal aliens whose national origins and affiliations are unknown.
BARTIROMO: Can you assess how many Iranians are in the country that are in sleeper cells?
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) June 22, 2025
HOMAN: I said the last four years, my biggest concern was this open border is the biggest national security vulnerability this country has ever seen.
There were 1272 nationals of Iran… pic.twitter.com/rrueDJRkUL
"Because of the open borders, we are at a serious catch-up phase. We don't know where those thousand Iranians are and who knows how many others got across the border,” Former FBI assistant director Chris Swecker told the outlet.
“We missed an opportunity when they caught and released those thousand. We missed the opportunity to gather intel by interviewing them and thoroughly vetting them. We just simply let them go, which is gross negligence on the part of the Biden administration."
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