America’s immigration system continues to face unprecedented strain under the Biden administration’s policies. Indeed, border state governors have repeatedly declared emergencies while detention facilities overflow and resources stretch beyond capacity.
However, while much attention focuses on the southern border crisis, internal Department of Homeland Security documents reveal another troubling development taking shape far from public view.
Federal immigration officials are quietly processing record numbers of special exemptions. Let that sink in for a moment. They’re allowing entry to thousands who would typically be barred due to terrorism concerns. You truly can’t make this stuff up!
Biden Hands Out 7,000 Exemptions
According to an exclusive Fox News review of DHS’s draft FY 2024 report to Congress, the Biden administration gave nearly 7,000 exemptions to foreign nationals who would otherwise be ineligible for U.S. entry due to terrorism-related restrictions. This is a staggering increase from recent years.
“Biden and Mayorkas have been very busy helping potential terrorists move to the U.S. Nearly 7,000 in 2024 alone,” said Michael Bars, former White House Senior Communications Advisor and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security. “Democrats have been handing out special exemptions and importing terror threats at an alarming rate.”
This should worry every American. While 2,085 terrorism-related exemptions were granted in FY 2023, that figure more than tripled to 6,848 in FY 2024. For perspective, only 191 such exemptions were issued in FY 2021.
Even more concerning? Who received these exemptions. Of the nearly 7,000 approved in FY 2024, over 3,100 went to individuals who provided what DHS termed “limited support” to Tier I or Tier II terrorist organizations – groups that include ISIS and the Taliban. Another 2,946 exemptions were granted to those who claimed they supported terror organizations “under duress.”
Sound like a security risk to you? Only 29 exemptions – yes, you read that right – went to documented Afghan allies who assisted U.S. forces.
Notice a pattern here? The dramatic increase follows Secretary Mayorkas’s 2022 policy expansion that broadened exemption eligibility for Afghan evacuees who worked as civil servants or provided what DHS called “insignificant or certain limited material support” to designated terror groups.
“These exemptions will allow eligible individuals who pose no national security or public safety risk to receive asylum, refugee status, or other legal immigration status,” Mayorkas claimed when implementing the changes. (Because that’s worked out so well before…)
Republicans Fight Back
But Republican senators strongly disagreed, warning the policy was written so broadly it wasn’t limited to Afghans alone.
“Indeed, it is not limited to certain conflicts, terrorist organizations, geographic regions, or time periods at all,” a coalition of senators wrote in response.
Remember when vetting actually meant something? The exemption surge accompanies the administration’s dramatic increase in the refugee cap. This jumped from 18,000 under President Donald Trump to 125,000 under President Joe Biden.
While DHS maintains that “all applicants considered for exemptions were subject to a thorough and rigorous security vetting process,” former officials express grave concerns about the implications.
“Joe Biden and his administration have viciously targeted parents at school board meetings, pro-life Americans, Catholics, and Trump supporters—designating some as ‘domestic terrorists’—instead of catching actual terrorists and keeping them out of the country,” Bars said.
These revelations raise serious questions about national security priorities under current leadership. With terror threats evolving globally, the dramatic expansion of entry exemptions for those with concerning backgrounds demands immediate attention and action.
Key Takeaways:
- Biden administration approved 6,848 terror-related exemptions in FY 2024, triple the previous year.
- Over 3,100 exemptions went to individuals with connections to ISIS-level terror organizations.
- Only 29 exemptions were granted to verified Afghan allies who helped U.S. forces.
- DHS expanded eligibility criteria while raising refugee cap from 18,000 to 125,000.
