Hundreds of migrants from 'hotbed of Isis' cross US southern border

Hundreds of migrants from a country known as a hotbed of Islamic extremism have crossed the US-Mexico border since Joe Biden entered the White House.

More than 1,500 migrants from Tajikistan have crossed the border between October 2020 and May 2024.

A leaked documents revealed at least 500 Tajiks have been caught by authorities so far this year.

However, only 26 Tajik nationals crossed the border over the previous 14 years.

There has not yet been any figure on how many Tajik migrants were released into the US.

The vast majority were caught attempting to claim asylum and enter America to await a court hearing.

Tajikistan, which borders both China and Afghanistan, has become a hotbed for Isis and its offshoot group Islamic State Khorasan Province.

Ex-counterterrorism official Javed Ali claimed the surge in Tajik nationals could include Isis “seeding people into the United States” to prepare for a possible attack.

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Eight Tajik migrants were arrested by ICE after being suspected of having ties to the Islamic terror group.

Tajik nationals were also behind ISIS-K’s Moscow attack which resulted in the deaths of 145 people and wounded hundreds more on March 22.

Texas A&M University professor Edward Lemon, who studies Central Asia, told The New York Post: “Tajiks have been recruited to and played a key role in terrorist organizations like Islamic State to a greater degree than many neighbouring countries in recent years.

“They have become key to [ISIS-K]’s externally-focused campaign as it seeks to gain attention and more recruits.”

Lemon added: “Tajikistan is one of the most migration-dependent countries in the world, with over a million of the country’s 10 million people living in Russia.

“As life in Russia has become more difficult since the invasion of Ukraine, they have sought other destinations such as Europe, the Gulf and the US.”

However, Biden’s administration sanctioned four people based in Central Asia and Turkey who were allegedly involved in an Isis-tied cross-border smuggling operation last Friday.

Adam Khamirzaev, who was among the sanctioned quartet, “provided guidance to this network on a range of activities supporting ISIS and was aware of its efforts to facilitate travellers to the United States.”