House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) voiced serious concerns on Sunday about the national security threats arising from President Biden’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. During his appearance on CBS News’s “Face The Nation,” McCaul connected the rise in border security threats to the fall of Afghanistan and the escape of thousands of ISIS-K militants.
McCaul discussed the broader implications of the chaotic withdrawal, focusing on the influx of ISIS-K fighters who escaped from Afghan prisons. “In addition to the aggravated felons and the fentanyl — and I can go on and on about that — what I worry most about is, look, you had the fall of Afghanistan. Thousands of ISIS-K came out of those prisons at Bagram, end up in a region called the Khorasan region, which is Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan,” he said.
He explained that these militants have found their way to the U.S. through Mexico. “They make their way over. They come through Mexico. And they enter into the United States. ISIS,” McCaul stated.
While acknowledging that the FBI has detained eight ISIS individuals, McCaul raised concerns about the potential number of militants who may have entered the U.S. undetected. He highlighted that during his tenure as Homeland Security Committee Chairman, the infiltration of ISIS into the homeland was a significant concern, now confirmed by recent events.
McCaul’s warnings come as the nation grapples with heightened border security issues and the broader fallout from the Afghanistan withdrawal. His remarks highlight the need for robust security measures and vigilance in addressing the complex threats to U.S. national security.
