WASHINGTON — The risk posed to Americans by international terrorist organizations has reached its highest level in decades, according to Senator Ted Cruz, as tensions with Iran escalate. The conflict, now entering its second week, is raising alarms about national security, Cruz cautioned.
During an appearance on Fox News with host Sean Hannity, Cruz, a Republican from Texas, critiqued the current administration’s border policies, stating, “For four years under President Joe Biden, we have had open borders.” He further claimed, “About 12 million people have crossed into the country, effectively extending an invitation to terrorists from groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to enter the United States.”
Cruz’s comments followed reports from The California Post and other media outlets that the FBI had warned law enforcement in California. The agency had received information suggesting that Iran might be planning a surprise drone attack from an unidentified vessel off the U.S. coast, potentially targeting unspecified sites in California if the U.S. were to launch strikes against Iran.
Politicians and security experts have expressed concerns that Iran could initiate “sleeper cell” attacks within the U.S. as the situation continues. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin echoed these worries, telling The Post on Tuesday, “I don’t know what sleeper cells might be here or if they could be activated.” Johnson acknowledged the complexity of the situation, adding, “This was a difficult decision for President Trump to make, but it was necessary.”
Multiple politicians and experts have warned about the risks of Iran triggering so-called “sleeper cell” attacks in the US as the conflict drags on.
âI donât know what sleeper cells are in here [if] they activate those,â Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told The Post Tuesday. âThis was not an easy decision for [President] Trump to make. This was a risky decision for Trump to make. But he had to do it.â
Trump himself told reporters Wednesday that his administration is on the lookout for potential threats to the homeland as war rages half a world away.
âI have been [briefed on Iranian sleeper cells] and a lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border, but we know where most of them are,â the president said.
âWe got our eye on all of them, I think.â
Cruz has been supportive of Operation Epic Fury and argued Wednesday that the Israeli strikes that took out Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei improved national security.
“Removing the ayatollah makes America much, much safer,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union” earlier this month.
The Republican also recently predicted that Trump will keep up the fight with Iran “until they get a regime there that is not a radical Islamist regime that is waging war with America.”
