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U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed on Monday that she has issued a “high alert” regarding the potential for sleeper cell attacks throughout the United States.
The alert, which was announced during a U.S. House hearing, cautions state and local officials to remain vigilant for Iranian nationals who may attempt to carry out lone wolf-style terrorist attacks in retaliation for the U.S. bombing of nuclear enrichment facilities.
Despite the ceasefire agreement reached between Iran and Israel on Monday, Bondi indicated that it remains tenuous, and the likelihood of individual Iranian actors proceeding with an attack cannot be ruled out.
“And I can tell you, we are on high alert, and everyone is monitoring that very closely,” Bondi stated.
Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-TX) inquired whether the attorney general was aware of the number of Iranian nationals convicted of crimes currently residing in the U.S. Bondi responded that she was uncertain but noted that over 1,000 Iranian nationals entered the U.S. during the Biden-Harris administration.
According to U.S. Border Patrol, 1,504 Iranian nationals were arrested from 2021 to 2024. Nearly half of these individuals, specifically 729, were released into the U.S. while awaiting asylum hearings, as reported by Fox News.
Bondi’s comments come in the wake of an advisory from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which issued a “heightened alert” due to “a heightened threat environment in the United States.” DHS highlighted the risk of Iranian sleeper cell agents “independently mobilizing to violence” should Iranian leaders call for retaliation.
When asked by Gonzalez about the threat posed by so-called “sleeper cells,” Bondi stated that she would “not discuss that in this setting.”
Tuesday’s congressional hearing was primarily focused on discussions regarding the replenishment of the U.S. Justice Department’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year; however, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East overshadowed much of the dialogue.
In spite of facilitating a ceasefire, Trump expressed his anger towards both Israel and Iran for their exchange of missile attacks during the early hours, while he urged Israel to recall fighter jets that had been dispatched towards Iran.
“I am quite displeased if Israel is proceeding this morning because of the one rocket that failed to land, which was possibly fired by mistake, that did not hit its target; I am not pleased about that,” Trump remarked concerning Iran’s unsuccessful missile strike on Monday.
Additionally, on Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrest of 11 Iranian nationals, all of whom have been convicted of offenses beyond mere civil immigration violations. This comes merely six months after a radical ISIS-inspired individual drove his truck into a crowd in New Orleans on Bourbon Street.
Last year, the DOJ filed charges against several Iranian nationals and U.S. citizens implicated in a murder-for-hire scheme that allegedly aimed at President Trump during the 2024 election. One individual, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), remains unaccounted for.
“The charges revealed today highlight Iran’s ongoing audacious efforts to target U.S. citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump, various government officials, and dissidents who oppose the regime in Tehran,” stated former FBI Director Christopher Wray at the time of the indictment.
