US officials warn of potential Iranian sleeper cell threat amid border concerns

By emmitt barryWorthy News Washington DC Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – US officials are raising concerns about the possible presence of Iranian “sleeper cells” inside the United States, as tensions rise following recent US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

The concern stems partly from the detention of about 1,500 Iranian citizens at the southern border between fiscal years 2021 and 2024, according to lawmakers and federal assessments. Authorities acknowledged that about half of those individuals had been released into the country pending immigration proceedings, raising questions about how many others may have entered without detection.

Bill Hagerty, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the figures were troubling because officials “don’t know how many people ended up there.” He warned that even a small number of bad actors could pose a serious threat to national security.

However, intelligence assessments offer a more measured approach. A report from the Department of Homeland Security cited by Reuters found that Iran and its proxies “likely” pose a threat of targeted attacks within the United States, but assessed that a large-scale physical attack was unlikely in the near future. Instead, cyberattacks are considered the most immediate risk.

Additional reporting indicates that US officials recently discovered encrypted communications believed to be linked to Iranian sources. While some analysts suggested that these messages may have been intended to activate “premeditated assets”, officials stressed that there was no operational threat linked to any specific location.

Iran has been officially designated as a state sponsor of terrorism by the US government, and recent military attacks have largely destroyed elements of its infrastructure. Nevertheless, past cases show that Iran-related conspiracies have reached American soil.

The Justice Department recently secured a conviction against a man identified as an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operative who admitted to entering the United States to help carry out political assassinations. In a separate case, prosecutors charged another suspect in an alleged IRGC-directed plot that included surveillance of dissidents and a plan to target then-President-elect Donald Trump.

Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Ron Wyden acknowledged “a lot of security challenges,” while Republican lawmakers like Rick Scott emphasized vigilance, noting that “it just takes one person.”

President Donald Trump addressed the issue earlier this month, saying officials were monitoring individuals entering under prior border policies, adding, “We have our eyes on all of them.”

The increased concern also comes as funding for the Department of Homeland Security is caught up in ongoing congressional battles, raising additional questions about whether federal agencies will have the resources needed to monitor potential threats and secure the homeland during a period of heightened geopolitical tension.

Although there is no public evidence confirming an Iranian sleeper-cell network operating inside the United States, officials across party lines agree that raising awareness is necessary as geopolitical tensions continue to rise.

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