400 migrants brought to US by ISIS-affiliated network, 50 still at large: Report
An ISIS-affiliated human smuggling network has facilitated the entry of more than 400 immigrants from Central Asia into the United States, according to government officials who spoke with NBC News. The officials said over 50 of these immigrants are currently at large within the country and their whereabouts are unknown.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has classified these immigrants as “subjects of concern.” Recently, DHS has intensified its scrutiny of migrants originating from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, citing ISIS-K’s activity in these countries.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) allowed the 400 immigrants into the country several months ago without realizing their ties to the ISIS-affiliated smuggling network. The migrants were not on the terror watch list upon entry.
More than 150 of the immigrants have been arrested, with some facing deportation. However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to search for over four dozen individuals, intending to apprehend them on immigration charges once their locations are confirmed.
A senior Biden administration official informed NBC News that new evidence linking some of these immigrants to ISIS has prompted officials to exercise caution. The administration aims to mitigate potential risks by using its authority expansively and appropriately.
When asked about the initial report, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called the reporting “incorrect.”
“We do not have identified 400 people with potential ISIS ties,” Mayorkas said. “And let me again assure you that individuals who are identified to have those ties would pose a concern to us from a public safety and security perspective, and they would be priorities for detention and removal.”
Earlier this month, Straight Arrow News reported that authorities detained eight suspected terrorists with possible ties to ISIS in major U.S. cities. Federal sources said that all eight individuals underwent thorough vetting and were subsequently released into the U.S. after crossing the southern border in 2023 and 2024.
FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a warning to Congress in March, emphasizing the escalating terrorist threats facing the nation.
“I believe the terrorist threat level we’re currently contending with is at a whole other level from the already heightened threat we were seeing even before Oct. 7,” Wray said. “We’ve witnessed a veritable rogue gallery of foreign terrorist organizations calling for attacks against the U.S. in ways we haven’t seen in a long time.”
8 suspected terrorists with ties to ISIS detained after crossing US border
Authorities have detained eight suspected terrorists with possible ties to ISIS in a coordinated operation across major U.S. cities. Federal sources revealed that all eight individuals were “fully vetted and released into the U.S.” after crossing the southern border in 2023 and 2024.
Deportation efforts underway
Efforts are now underway to deport the detained suspects. However, authorities told ABC News that they currently lack sufficient evidence to bring terrorism charges against them.
Wiretap reveals bomb-related discussions
The investigation, jointly conducted by the FBI and ICE, featured a wiretap that captured one of the suspected terrorists discussing bombs. The New York Post first broke the story, and NBC reported that at least one of those arrested entered the U.S. using the CBP One App which allows migrants to make appointments for asylum-seeking purposes.
Origin and ISIS connection
The eight arrested individuals are originally from Tajikistan. Notably, it was ISIS members from the same country who carried out a deadly attack on a concert hall in Russia last March, resulting in the loss of 145 lives.
FBI director’s concerns
FBI Director Christopher Wray has repeatedly emphasized the heightened threat of domestic terrorism in the U.S. He warned last year that a terror attack could occur on American soil. Recent events have only intensified these concerns.
“I touched on this earlier, but there was already a heightened risk of violence in the United States before Oct. 7,” Wray said. “Since then, we’ve seen a rogue’s gallery of foreign terrorist organizations call for attacks against Americans and our allies. And given those calls for action, our most immediate concern has been that individuals or small groups will draw twisted inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks here at home. But now, on top of that, increasingly concerning is the potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, not unlike the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia concert hall back in March.”
DOJ agrees to pay $138 million to sexual abuse victims of Larry Nassar
The Department of Justice announced a settlement of approximately $138 million with the victims of former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar, who is serving decades in prison for sexually abusing hundreds of women and girls. The legal fallout from Nassar’s crimes reached a milestone on Tuesday, April 23, as the DOJ revealed the settlement with his victims.
More than 100 victims accused the Federal Bureau of Investigation of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Nassar from 2015-2016. The DOJ acknowledged its failure to intervene, stating that an internal investigation revealed FBI agents knew of the allegations but failed to take action.
FBI Director Christopher Wray previously apologized on behalf of the agency, condemning the actions and inaction of the FBI employees involved.
Rachael Denhollander — the first person to publicly speak out about the abuses she endured under Nassar — expressed gratitude for the settlement, acknowledging that it was a step in the right direction. However, Denhollander stressed that this is the first step, noting that failures like those seen in the FBI and DOJ are happening nationwide to survivors who lack media coverage.
Nassar, who worked at Michigan State University and served as team doctor for USA Gymnastics, is now behind bars for assaulting female athletes.
Michigan State University — accused of failing to stop Nassar — agreed to pay $500 million to over 300 women and girls who were assaulted. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee settled for $380 million.
Including the April 23 DOJ settlement, the combined compensation for victims now surpasses $1 billion.
FBI director warns Chinese hackers waiting for ‘just the right moment’ to strike
FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that hackers linked to the Chinese government have infiltrated U.S. infrastructure and are waiting for “just the right moment to deal a devastating blow.” Wray emphasized the immediate threats China poses to U.S. national and economic security during his speech at the Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats on Thursday, April 18.
China is developing the “ability to physically wreak havoc on our critical infrastructure at a time of its choosing,” Wray said. “Its plan is to land low blows against civilian infrastructure to try to induce panic.”
Wray detailed the Chinese Communist Party’s drive for power, which motivates their strategies including the theft of intellectual property and technologies crucial to future economies.
The director of the FBI said, “I’m talking about everything from indiscriminate hacking to economic espionage, to transnational repression, to fentanyl and the precursor chemicals that are coming out of China and ending up in our communities. What we’re facing today is the CCP throwing its whole government into undermining the security of the rule of law world.”
“China-sponsored hackers pre-positioned for potential cyberattacks against U.S. oil and natural gas companies way back in 2011,” Wray told the audience at Vanderbilt University.
Nearly a year ago, Microsoft reported that the cyber group Volt Typhoon had been secretly accessing critical infrastructure organizations in the U.S. since mid-2021. Security researchers from Microsoft and Google have linked the Volt Typhoon group to China. The group targets sectors such as communications, utilities, transportation, and government to spy on and infiltrate those networks.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Volt Typhoon is not affiliated with China’s government but is a criminal ransomware group.
Israel carries out strike against Iran in response to drone attack
Israel struck back in its first military response to Iran since last weekend’s attack. The 12-person jury is selected in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, April 19, 2024.
Israel carried out strike against Iran in response to drone attack
Israeli forces struck back against Iran early Friday, April 19, morning following last weekend’s drone and missile barrage toward Israel, but details remain sparse in the aftermath.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Get The Morning RundownTM newsletter straight to your inbox!
Iranian officials reported their anti-aircraft systems intercepted three small drones near an air base and nuclear site in the province of Isfahan, causing no reported damage. Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi said the explosions heard in the area were related to air defense actions against suspicious objects.
The United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites following the incident. Iran temporarily closed its airports after the attack but they have since reopened.
While Israel has not officially commented on the attacks, several officials from Israel, Iran and the U.S. have confirmed the strike to multiple news outlets, marking Israel’s first military response to Iran’s assault that involved 300 missiles and drones, with 99% intercepted.
The direct attack by Iran was reportedly in retaliation for a suspected Israeli airstrike on Iran’s embassy in Syria earlier in the month, which killed seven officials, including a top general.
For nearly a week, Israel indicated plans to retaliate for Iran’s actions despite advisement against it from the U.S. and its allies. An Israeli official told The Washington Post the attack was intended to demonstrate Israel’s capability to strike inside Iran.
An Iranian official told Reuters that Iran has no plans to respond to Israel’s attack.
Congresswoman’s daughter among dozens detained at pro-Palestinian protests
More than 100 students were arrested Thursday, April 18, at Columbia University during a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus’s main lawn. The arrests occurred as New York City police, in riot gear, dismantled a makeshift tent city that had been set up by the protesters without school permission.
In a statement to the Columbia community, Shafik announced the suspension of all students participating in the protest, expressing regret over their refusal to resolve the situation peacefully.
The protests started on Wednesday, April 17, while Shafik testified on Capitol Hill, where she was accused of failing to respond to antisemitism on campus.
Full jury seated in Trump’s hush money trial
The historic hush money criminal trial of former President Donald Trump has seated its full jury, with the judge stating, “We have our jury,” after the 12th juror was selected during day three of the trial in New York on Thursday, April 18.
One alternate was chosen, with five more still needed. The judge expressed hope that jury selection would conclude Friday, April 19.
The day began with the dismissal of two of the seven jurors selected earlier in the week. One juror was dismissed after expressing doubts about remaining impartial after being questioned by family and friends. The second juror was excused after concerns arose about the truthfulness of his answers regarding whether he or any family members had been accused of a crime.
The judge replaced the two and then selected five others to complete the jury, including a speech therapist, a former wealth manager, a physical therapist and a product development manager.
Opening statements are tentatively scheduled for Monday, Aril 22.
FBI: Chinese threat to U.S. infrastructure is bold, unrelenting
FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the immediate threats China poses to U.S. national and economic security, highlighting U.S. critical infrastructure as a primary target during his speech at the Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats on Thursday, April 18.
Wray detailed the Chinese Communist Party’s drive for power, which motivates their strategies including the theft of intellectual property and technologies crucial to future economies.
“I’m talking about everything from indiscriminate hacking to economic espionage, to transnational repression, to fentanyl and the precursor chemicals that are coming out of China and ending up in our communities,” Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, said. “What we’re facing today is the CCP throwing its whole government into undermining the security of the rule of law world.”
Nearly a year ago, Microsoft reported that the cyber group Volt Typhoon had been secretly accessing critical infrastructure organizations in the U.S. since mid-2021. Security researchers from Microsoft and Google have linked the Volt Typhoon group to China. The group targets sectors such as communications, utilities, transportation, and government to spy on and infiltrate those networks.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Volt Typhoon is not affiliated with China’s government but is a criminal ransomware group.
Netflix adds 9.3 million subscribers, will no longer report quarterly tally
On the same day Netflix announced it had added more than 9 million subscribers in the first quarter of the year amid its crackdown on password sharing. The streaming giant said it would no longer report subscriber numbers each quarter.
The 9.3 million additional subscribers far surpassed estimates, bringing the global total to nearly 270 million subscribers — a record high.
The company also reported over $9 billion in revenue, a 15% increase from a year ago. Netflix said it is switching to announcing subscriber additions only when major milestones are reached.
Netflix told investors that the company’s success should be assessed based on its revenue and operating margins, adding that time spent using the service is the best way to gauge customer satisfaction.
Taylor Swift’s latest album breaks Spotify record before being released
One of the most anticipated albums of all time is now available, breaking records even before its release just hours ago. Spotify reported Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” broke its record for the most pre-saved album in the streaming service’s history.
Swift’s latest album dropped overnight, with the Grammy winner surprising fans by announcing this release is a double album, sharing 15 extra songs with fans at 2 a.m.
No numbers have been disclosed yet on the success of “The Tortured Poets” album.
Swift’s 2022 album “Midnights” spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and earned the Grammy for album of the year.
Chinese hackers target US infrastructure with unprecedented persistence
Recent warnings from the National Security Agency (NSA) highlight an ongoing cyber threat posed by the persistence of Chinese hackers. In a cybersecurity advisory issued with other federal agencies, the NSA singled out a Beijing-backed hacker network known as “Volt Typhoon” for targeting and infiltrating American critical infrastructure.
“The [advisory] focuses on PRC-sponsored cyber actor, Volt Typhoon, targeting IT networks of communications, energy, transportation, water, and wastewater organizations in the U.S. and its territories,” the NSA said in a statement. “The authoring agencies recognize the reality that the PRC has already compromised these systems. In some cases, the cyber actors have been living inside IT networks for years to pre-position for disruptive or destructive cyberattacks against operational technology in the event of a major crisis or conflict with the United States.”
Chinese hacking groups like Volt Typhoon actively targeted vital sectors of U.S. infrastructure, including electric grid operators, water systems and shipping ports. The groups’ tactics involve gaining and maintaining access to these networks for long periods. Some instances of continuous access lasted up to five years. This prolonged presence provides the hackers with the capability to execute potentially devastating cyberattacks at their discretion. These attacks also threaten the stability and functionality of resources relied upon by everyday Americans.
“If and when China decides the time has come to strike, they’re not focused just on political and military targets,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said. “We can see from where they position themselves across civilian infrastructure, that low blows aren’t just a possibility in the event of a conflict, low blows against civilians are part of China’s plan.”
Despite the gravity of their activities, Volt Typhoon’s methods do not always use cutting-edge technology. Rather, the group relies on persistent hacking attempts, exploiting vulnerabilities that may be accessible to relatively-skilled hackers, not just experts.
The vulnerability of U.S. infrastructure cybersecurity is made worse by its fragmented and decentralized nature.
Several entities and individuals are responsible for operating different components of critical infrastructure. Therefore, coordination efforts to combat cyber threats are often insufficient. This fragmentation is particularly evident in sectors such as the water system where 150,000 individual, independently-managed operations make up the system. This is a trend found across all 16 critical infrastructure sectors in the country.
In response to these ongoing threats, federal agencies are urging infrastructure operators to bolster their cybersecurity defenses. Recommendations include implementing multi-factor authentication and conducting regular reviews of network activity logs to detect and prevent unauthorized access.
FBI: Idaho teen inspired by ISIS arrested, planned to target local churches
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested an Idaho teen on Saturday, April 6, who the agency said had been planning an ISIS-inspired terror attack on churches in his hometown in northern Idaho. Prosecutors said 18-year-old Alexander Mercurio detailed how he would kill churchgoers on Sunday, April 14.
The FBI said Mercurio told a confidential informant that he wanted to hit all 21 churches in the area using knives, guns and fire. Mercurio reportedly told the source that he pledged allegiance to ISIS and had provided material support to the terrorist organization.
To carry out his plot, investigators said Mercurio planned to first immobilize his father with a metal pipe then take his firearms and head to local church. Mercurio’s target date for the attack was reportedly on Sunday, April 7. According to investigators, Mercurio was timing the attack to coincide with the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Officers said they found an ISIS flag, butane canisters, handcuffs, a knife, a pipe, a machete and several guns belonging to Mercurio’s father at his house.
The FBI reports it first learned of Mercurio during an investigation into a fundraising network using cryptocurrency and other platforms to support ISIS in Syria and its Afghan affiliate, ISIS-K.
In addition, the FBI said that Mercurio along with three others, who were not identified, financially supported someone only known as “Individual 2” in Gaza.
FBI Director Christopher Wray called Mercurio’s plot “a truly horrific plan.” If convicted, Mercurio faces up to 20 years in prison.
The latest arrest comes after a joint intelligence bulletin warning of possible threats to public gatherings in the United States. It specifically mentioned “lone wolf extremists” inspired by ISIS-K’s attack at a Moscow concert hall, which killed at least 144 people.
An official statement from ISIS-K said that the group planned attacks similar to those in Moscow in the U.S. In March, Wray said that since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza on Oct. 7, the terrorism threat has reached a “whole other level” in the United States.
Nebraska looks to bolster cybersecurity by hiring white-hat hacker
The United States faces a relentless wave of cyber attacks, with an incident occurring every 39 seconds. The Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that in 2022, these breaches inflicted a financial toll of $10 billion. Digital breaches not only risk the exposure of sensitive personal information of millions of Americans but also threaten to disrupt essential national services.
Addressing the cyber threat from China
Jen Easterly, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), highlighted the evolving threat from China.
“We’ve long been focused on the cyber threat from China,” Easterly said on Jan. 31. “But as you’ve heard in recent years we have seen a deeply concerning evolution in Chinese targeting of U.S. critical infrastructure. In particular, we have seen the Chinese cyber actors including those known as Volt Typhoon burrowing deep into the critical infrastructure to enable destructive attacks in the event of a major crisis for conflict.”
In January, the FBI announced it shut down an attempt by the Chinese hacking group to infiltrate U.S. infrastructure through outdated internet routers. FBI Director Christopher Wray called Volt Typhoon “the defining threat of our generation.”
Nebraska’s legislative efforts in cybersecurity
Nebraska state Sen. Loren Lippincott, R, emphasized the need for proactive measures in cybersecurity.
“Cybersecurity is certainly an issue that we need to talk about,” Lippincott said. “And unfortunately, in politics, I have found that we tend to be reactive instead of proactive.”
He also said nearly 70% of all public sector entities faced ransomware attacks in 2023. Now, Lippincott is spearheading two critical legislative efforts aimed at strengthening Nebraska’s cybersecurity framework.
The first bill seeks to upgrade the state’s cyber defenses with the latest tools and software. The second bill proposes a bold move to recruit ethical, white-hat hackers.
“You want the hackers to try to break into our system and find out where the leaks, where the holes are in the dike,” Lippincott said. “We’re looking for vulnerabilities. And the only way we can know where our vulnerabilities are is if we are tested and it’s wise to test before we get attacked.”
Cybersecurity breaches have exposed the medical records of hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans, leading to multimillion-dollar settlements from some of the state’s leading health care providers. Lippincott emphasized that having security measures isn’t enough; consistent testing of cybersecurity systems is crucial.
He was inspired by his nephew, who worked in the private sector as an ethical hacker.
“If an organization is responsible for securing sensitive data of any kind, they must think like the enemy and be able to defend themselves from those enemies,” Lippincott said. “Of course, defensive security is definitely important, but organizations also need to have offensive security as well.”
Lippincott likened it to the military’s Red Team vs. Blue Team drills. The Red Team pretends to be the enemy, and in the cyber space, the Red Team wears white.
China positioning malware in US critical infrastructure to prepare for conflict
The U.S. Intelligence community has assessed that China is attempting to pre-position malware on critical U.S. infrastructure to cripple vital assets and systems needed if China invades Taiwan, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray. The malware is being put in place in an attempt to limit America’s ability to aid Taiwan.
“We have observed the CCP target multiple critical infrastructure entities, attacks which could potentially jeopardize the physical safety of Americans,” Wray told the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Wray said the FBI already identified China-backed hackers who gained access to the computer network of a major U.S. transportation hub. Agents informed network operators and helped them fix the vulnerabilities.
In war, an adversary may seek to destroy bridges and dams, poison water supplies and cut power lines. According to committee Chairman Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., wiping out critical infrastructure can create societal chaos.
“Chinese hackers have put malware in water utilities, oil and gas pipelines, power grids, and other utilities in our Westernmost territories and across the American homeland,” Gallagher said. “There is no economic benefit for these actions. There is no intelligence gathering rationale. The sole purpose is to be ready to destroy American infrastructure, which will inevitably result in mass American casualties.”
Despite the threat, the military’s top general for cyber security assured the committee that America is ready.
“While cyberspace threats have increased, our force to counter these threats are stronger and more capable,” Gen. Paul Nakasone, the commander for United States Cyber Command, said. “USCYBERCOM and NSA are using our capabilities and partnerships to deny the PRC opportunities, frustrate their strategic efforts and systematically eradicate intrusions.”
FBI Director Wray said these threats are why Congress must reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expires in April.
Section 702 allows U.S. intelligence officers to spy on foreign persons who are outside of the United States without a warrant.
According to Wray, in the second half of 2023, 97% of the FBI’s raw technical reporting on malicious cyber actors and 93% of the FBI’s reporting on emerging technologies, like AI, came from Section 702 collections.
The FBI has seen China-based cyber threat actors access a variety of critical infrastructure in the United States. Section 702 allows us to detect these cyber threat actors by monitoring them as they traverse the internet and determining when they access networks within the United States.
FBI Director Christopher Wray
“Section 702 has been pivotal for the FBI to detect and thwart PRC-backed cyber threat actors attempting to access U.S. critical infrastructure,” Wray said. “The FBI has seen China-based cyber threat actors access a variety of critical infrastructure in the United States. Section 702 allows us to detect these cyber threat actors by monitoring them as they traverse the internet and determining when they access networks within the United States.”
Lawmakers agree that Section 702 should be reformed and renewed. However, they have been unable to reach a compromise on how to make those reforms to prevent abuse without hindering the intelligence community’s ability to collect important national security information.
FISA abuse includes “backdoor searches.” According to the Electronic Privacy Information Center, that’s when communications are collected in a way that is expected to collect an American’s information along with the main target’s, rather than collecting that citizen’s information incidentally.
According to the Brennan Center, the improper searches over the years have included elected officials, protestors and political activists groups.
‘Sextortion’ is a rapidly escalating threat, FBI director says
FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Congress that “sextortion,” particularly among teens, is bursting into prominence. According to the FBI, sextortion occurs when someone threatens to distribute one’s private and sensitive material if they don’t provide images of a sexual nature, sexual favors, or money.
“Sextortion is a rapidly escalating threat,” Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tuesday, Dec. 5. “And as you say, there have been way too many teenagers victimized and they don’t know where to turn.”
On some occasions, victims send photos to a predator after being tricked into thinking that they may be a romantic interest. In other cases, predators use malware to hack into a computer’s files or web camera and microphone to record the victim without their knowledge.
The perpetrators then threaten to publish the explicit images unless the victim provides them with more images or money.
“I think a lot of the kids that are falling victim to this, when they get targeted, they don’t think they have a choice,” Wray said. “They feel like they’re trapped and stuck, and then turn to tragic consequences like suicide.”
The issue has received bipartisan concern and attention from members of Congress who hope to pass legislation to address it.
The Senate Judiciary Committee sent five bills addressing online child sexual exploitation to the Senate floor but they have not been passed into law.
Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said one of the biggest things that has stood in their way is big tech companies.
“The resistance from Big Tech to even pursue this issue despite this overwhelming bipartisan vote troubles me greatly,” Durbin said.
One of the concerns about Big Tech is the use of encrypted messages, which makes it impossible for the companies or even investigators to view what is sent between two people.