Arrest of Terror Suspect Highlights Nexus of Terrorism and Immigration

On December 20, 2021, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a press release stating, “Bowling Green Man Arrested on Multiple Terrorism Charges.”

From the title of that press release, you would never imagine immigration was an issue in the case.

The suspect, who was arrested as a suspected terrorist, was simply identified as “Bowling Green Man.”

However, the very first sentence of the release states that the suspected terrorist, Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, holds dual citizenship in the United States and Bosnia.

This is a common ploy used by the Biden administration to downplay the link between immigration-related issues and national security.

We will examine this nexus shortly, but first, here is how that DOJ press release begins:

A federal court in Kentucky unsealed an indictment today charging a dual U.S.-Bosnian citizen with providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The defendant is also charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and receiving military type training from ISIS.

According to court documents, on June 3, 2014, Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, 31, of Bowling Green, Kentucky and two co-conspirators each departed the United States for Istanbul, Turkey in order to support ISIS. All three then purchased tickets with cash to fly to Gaziantep, Turkey, a city located near the border with Syria. From there, Ramic and the two co-conspirators crossed the Syrian border to join ISIS.

As alleged, after joining ISIS, Ramic attended an ISIS training camp where he received weapons and physical training and fired an AK-47. The FBI obtained photographs of Ramic in ISIS territory which depict him wearing camouflage clothing and standing in front of a pickup truck outfitted with an anti-aircraft gun and the ISIS flag. A second photograph of Ramic depicts him holding a rifle.

After joining ISIS, Ramic and his co-conspirators remained in contact with each other and discussed, among other things, Ramic’s presence in Raqqa, Syria, and his use of an anti-aircraft weapon to shoot at planes. Ramic and his co-conspirators also discussed jihad, martyrdom and fighting for ISIS. After joining ISIS, one of Ramic’s co-conspirators sent two e-mails to Western Kentucky University, stating that he had traveled to Syria to join ISIS and expressing his desire that ISIS conquer the United States.

Generally, there are only two ways for a person to hold dual citizenship in the U.S.

An alien who lawfully immigrates to the U.S. may become a naturalized citizen and may also retain his/her previous citizenship. Alternatively, a child born in the U.S. to alien citizen(s) acquires birthright citizenship and may claim the citizenship of a foreign-born parent(s), as well.

When an alien files applications for visas or immigration benefits to enable them to enter the U.S. and remain thereafter, statements concerning material facts must be truthful. Any lies could constitute immigration fraud. Immigration fraud is a very serious crime and one that, if it involves terrorism, can be punished by a jail sentence of up to 25 years and also result in stripping the alien of any lawful status, including citizenship. The relevant sections of law are: 18 U.S.C. § 1546: Fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, 18 U.S. Code § 1425: Procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully, and 18 U.S. Code § 1015.

If Ramie was born in the U.S. he could not be charged with immigration fraud. However, if he was a naturalized citizen, his applications for various visas, immigration benefits, and even U.S. citizenship must certainly be scrutinized for possible fraud — not just to punish him, but in order to remove him from the U.S. after he completes his prison sentence for terrorism-related crimes, if he is found guilty.

This is vital because, as the press release noted, he expressed a desire for ISIS to conquer the U.S.

It is in the interest of national security and public safety that he should be removed from the U.S. if the situation permits, and this protective action should be taken.

If, on the other hand, he was born in the U.S. to foreign-born parents, their immigration applications must also be scrutinized to make certain that they did not commit immigration fraud to enter the country.

However, given statements made by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and given his checkered past wherein he ordered subordinate employees to “get to yes” when adjudicating applications for visas and immigration benefits, it is extremely unlikely that efforts to investigate and identify possible immigration fraud will be undertaken by the Biden administration.

Consider my recent article, “Biden Administration Plans to Protect Immigration Fraudsters,” which includes the following:

On October 13, 2021 the Washington Times reported, EXCLUSIVE: DHS drafts plan to allow fraudsters to keep citizenship: Memo would constrain ability to pursue denaturalization cases.

Here is how that report begins:

The Homeland Security Department is circulating a draft proposal that would severely curtail its attempts to strip citizenship from people who were naturalized based on fraud.

The Washington Times saw a draft of the memo, from Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the heads of the three immigration agencies. The memo says people might not apply for citizenship because they worry about losing it in the future.

“Naturalized citizens deserve finality and security in their rights as citizens,” the memo says. “Department policies should not cause a chilling effect or barriers for lawful permanent residents seeking to naturalize.”

America’s borders and immigration laws are supposed to serve to protect and defend the United States and its citizens from foreign nationals who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and public health.

It would appear that Mayorkas, Biden, and Harris never got the memo — and never read the 9/11 Commission Report or the companion report, “9/11 and Terrorist Travel – Staff Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.”

©Michael Cutler. All rights reserved.

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