In FY 2024, thousands of immigrants were exempted from terror-related entry restrictions by the Biden DHS.

Nearly 7,000 exemptions were granted by the Biden administration to foreign nationals who were otherwise ineligible for admission into the U.S. due to terrorism-related entry restrictions, which is a significantly higher number compared to recent years.

The DHS secretary's application of his power to exempt foreign nationals from TRIG was reviewed by Planet Chronicle Digital in a draft of the agency's FY 2024 report to Congress. Foreign nationals who seek entry to the U.S. can be deemed inadmissible from entry and for immigration benefits if they have associated with, supported or worked with terrorist organizations.

The DHS secretary has the authority to exempt certain foreign nationals from inadmissibility, such as those who have provided support under duress, medical care, and meet other exemption standards.

In FY 2024, there were 6,848 TRIG exemptions, with 6,653 being for refugees. However, the report does not provide a breakdown by country. The Biden administration has increased the refugee cap to 125,000, a significant increase from the 18,000 set in the previous year.

In FY 2023, the number of waivers issued was significantly higher than previous years, with 2,085 waivers being issued, compared to 603 in FY 2022, 191 in FY 2021, and 361 in FY 2020, according to DHS reports.

In 2022, DHS declared an exemption for Afghan evacuees who worked as civil servants or individuals who provided "insignificant or certain limited material support" to a designated terror group. DHS stated that this exemption could apply to many occupations, including teachers, doctors, and engineers, and those who used their position to mitigate Taliban repression. This exemption was issued during a mass evacuation effort of nationals from Afghanistan in 2021 as the Taliban took control of the country.

In FY24, 29 waivers were granted to Afghan allies who supported US interests in Afghanistan, while 374 were given to civil servants. Additionally, 3,134 waivers were issued to those who provided limited or insignificant support to a Tier I or Tier II terror organization, as per the 2022 exemption announced by DHS. The majority of the remaining exemptions (2,946) were provided under a 2007 exercise of authority for support given under duress.

Those who received exemptions but are not refugees include 155 asylum applicants, 22 green card holders, and four applicants for Temporary Protected Status.

The Biden administration's expansion of immigration pathways and release of migrants into the interior have been criticized by Republicans and former Trump administration officials, mainly due to concerns about the potential risk of terrorism.

According to Michael Bars, a former Trump DHS deputy assistant secretary and White House senior communications adviser, Joe Biden and his administration have targeted parents, pro-life Americans, Catholics, and Trump supporters as "domestic terrorists" at school board meetings, instead of focusing on catching actual terrorists and keeping them out of the country. In fact, they have been helping potential threats move in by waiving national security safeguards to admit individuals who have provided varying degrees of material support to Islamic terrorist organizations in extraordinary numbers.

The U.S. has imported Islamic terrorism through its broken immigration system and open border, and the Biden administration has failed to address this threat, exacerbating the issue.

Despite requests for comment from Planet Chronicle Digital, DHS maintains a strict and thorough security vetting process for all applicants.

"The report states that all applicants under consideration for exemptions underwent a comprehensive and stringent security vetting process."

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated in 2022 that eligible individuals who do not pose a national security or public safety risk will be allowed to receive asylum, refugee status, or other legal immigration status, demonstrating the United States' ongoing commitment to our Afghan allies and their family members.

The Biden administration has previously used TRIG exemptions, including in 2019, to apply to those involved in the Lebanese civil war between 1975 and 1990. The USCIS website states that the definition of terrorism-related activity is broad and may apply to individuals and activities not typically associated with terrorism.

The use of TRIG exemptions has been a source of controversy among Republicans. In August 2022, a group of senators raised concerns about the 2022 exemptions, arguing that the language used in the exemption could be interpreted broadly and not limited to Afghans alone.

They stated that it is not restricted to specific conflicts, terrorist groups, locations, or timeframes.