In a recent development, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), the Senate Republican Conference chair and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, has urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct a thorough audit of every visa approved under the Biden administration for applicants from high-risk countries.
Cotton's call to action stems from his concern that Biden's vetting policy has "allowed dangerous individuals tied to terrorist groups to enter the United States."
In a letter addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Cotton emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of all visas issued since 2021 from what he termed as "high-risk regions." This call for action was triggered by the indictment of Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-Muhtadi, a 33-year-old Gazan national residing in Louisiana. Al-Muhtadi stands accused of participating in the October 7 Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel before entering the United States on a fraudulent visa.
Cotton's letter underscored the "extreme danger posed by the previous administrations policies," citing the case of Al-Muhtadi, identified by Justice Department filings as a Hamas operative linked to the assault. The senator outlined how Al-Muhtadi "applied for a visa through the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, falsely denying his paramilitary training and terrorist affiliations."
Despite the glaring evidence of these activities on his social media, Cotton noted, "the Biden administration approved his application, granting him legal permanent resident status and entry into the United States." The letter further pointed out that the vetting process "overlooked easily accessible evidence of his terrorist ties."
Cotton warned that this incident is indicative of a broader systemic failure. "Since October 7, 2023, thousands of visa applications from Palestinians have been processed through Egypt, often without adequate review of digital footprints or terrorist watchlist cross-checks," he wrote. He expressed concern that such oversights could mean other terrorists have already infiltrated the country under Biden-era approvals.
As reported by Breitbart, Cotton urged the DHS to "conduct an audit of all visas issued through high-risk countries since 2021, prioritizing potential affiliations with Hamas or other designated terrorist groups." He also called for "enhanced social media monitoring for visa applicants from high-risk regions" and "mandatory real-time FBI watchlist checks to ensure no terrorist slips through undetected."
Cotton concluded his letter with a stark warning: "The safety of Arkansans and all Americans depends on reversing the damage done by Bidens open border policy."
Federal filings reveal that investigators have geolocation data placing Al-Muhtadis phone near Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7 attack. His social media also featured images of him undergoing weapons training and wearing terrorist insignia. Records indicate that he arrived at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on September 12, 2024, and later resided in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before moving to Lafayette, Louisiana, where he was apprehended.
Al-Muhtadi is currently facing charges of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and making false statements in the immigration process. He remains in custody pending proceedings. Breitbart News had previously reported that Al-Muhtadi, who had been employed in a Louisiana restaurant, was later identified by investigators as part of a Hamas-linked network operating in Gaza.
Cotton asserted that the Louisiana case is evidence that Biden-era vetting failures have "real national security consequences" that necessitate immediate action from DHS.
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