Suspected Afghan terrorist removed from government monitoring program for no apparent reason

04/25/2024 / By Richard Brown

Mohammad Kharwin, a 48-year-old Afghan national on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) terrorist watchlist, was arrested on April 11 after having spent over a year in the United States.

Immigration officials claimed he had been enrolled in a program that tracked his location via ankle monitor, mobile app or telephone. However, reports indicated that his participation in the monitoring program, known as Alternatives to Detention, lasted only a little over two weeks.

Kharwin, who unlawfully entered the U.S., was initially detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on March 10, 2023, near San Ysidro, California, following his illegal entry into the United States.

CBP officials reportedly had incomplete information about his background at the time of his release, leading to his brief participation in the Alternatives to Detention program.

This program, overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), aims to supervise migrants awaiting lengthy court proceedings without detaining them.

Despite the seriousness of his profile, Kharwin was removed from the monitoring program on March 28, 2023, just over two weeks after his enrollment on March 12 of the same year.

The reasons for his swift removal from the program remain unclear, raising concerns about decision-making processes within ICE. This issue gained further attention when Kharwin was once again apprehended by ICE agents in February. (Related: FBI wary of terrorists crossing the border illegally.)

This action followed the FBI’s identification of his potential ties to Hezb-e-Islami (HIG), a recognized terrorist group operating in Afghanistan responsible for the deaths of U.S. personnel between 2013 and 2015.

Despite this, ICE prosecutors did not share classified information regarding Kharwin’s affiliations during court proceedings, leading to his release on a $12,000 bond.

Alternatives to Detention program facing scrutiny

The Alternatives to Detention program has faced scrutiny due to recent incidents exposing its shortcomings. Additionally, the Daily Caller reported various breaches by program participants, shedding light on its inadequacies.

ICE’s enforcement of program conditions, or the lack of it, was underscored by Denver’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Acting Field Office Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr., following the arrest of several individuals who violated program terms, including an individual associated with a notorious gang, as outlined by the Daily Caller.

The ongoing challenges with the Alternatives to Detention program, particularly in cases involving high-risk individuals, necessitate a reassessment of its policies and enforcement strategies to ensure effective public security while respecting the rights and dignity of those awaiting trial.

Questions have arisen regarding the vetting and tracking procedures for migrants posing security risks in the U.S., as well as the efficacy of the Alternatives to Detention program.

While migrants on the terrorist watchlist represent a small fraction of total encounters, scrutiny persists over the program’s ability to address security concerns while ensuring migrants’ due process rights.

Watch Texas Gov. Greg Abbot saying President Joe Biden is doing nothing to stop terrorists from crossing the border during a live appearance on the Fox News program “America’s Newsroom.”

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