Afghan Illegal Immigrant on Terror Watchlist Roams Free in U.S. for Nearly a Year After Release by Border Agents — Awaits Immigration Hearing in Texas with No Movement Restrictions

An Afghan illegal immigrant identified as Mohammad Kharwin, aged 48, has been living freely in the United States for nearly a year despite being on the terror watchlist.

U.S. officials confirmed that Kharwin was apprehended and subsequently released by border patrol agents in 2023 and is currently out on bond, awaiting an immigration hearing in Texas scheduled next year, with no restrictions on his movement within the country, NBC first reported.

Kharwin was initially detained on March 2023, near San Ysidro, California, following an illegal crossing from Mexico into the U.S.

Despite matching a piece of information to someone on the U.S. terrorist watchlist, Border Patrol agents were unable to corroborate his identity fully due to missing information and thus released him without informing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the potential terror ties.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) processed Kharwin, collected his biometric data, and referred him to ICE’s Alternatives to Detention Program, which required periodic phone check-ins with an ICE officer. During this period, Kharwin was able to apply for asylum, work authorization, and was not restricted from flying domestically.

In February 2024, the FBI shared new information with ICE suggesting Kharwin’s potential terror ties, leading to his arrest on February 28 in San Antonio, Texas.

The FBI’s national terror watchlist, featuring 1.8 million individuals identified as potential security risks, lists Kharwin as a member of Hezb-e-Islami, or HIG, a group the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization.

On March 28,  the evidence linking Kharwin to a terrorist organization was not presented during his immigration hearing.

The immigration judge, whose identity has not been disclosed by the Justice Department, ordered Kharwin’s release on a $12,000 bond with no travel restrictions and scheduled a follow-up court hearing for 2025.

This scenario represents just one instance of a known terrorist who has been released and is now roaming freely due to Biden’s open border policies.

Reporter William J. Kelly has published a report citing a source from the National Sheriff’s Association, which suggests that there might be two million terrorists who have gained access to the United States and are inside the borders now as a result of Joe Biden’s open borders policies for the nation’s security.

That some have entered is without doubt, as border security teams have confirmed they’ve stopped even those on terror watch lists at the border, and those experts really have no way of monitoring those they miss.