Tom Cotton Demands Full Purge of Biden Immigration Policies After Hamas Terrorist Found in U.S.
Senator Tom Cotton is demanding a complete overhaul of the Biden administration’s immigration apparatus following the arrest of a Hamas-linked terrorist who had been living undetected in Louisiana. The Arkansas Republican says the federal government’s vetting failures have placed Americans in danger — and he’s calling for a top-down security purge.
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday, Cotton ordered an immediate audit of all visas issued since 2021, especially those granted to individuals from high-risk regions such as Egypt, Gaza, and other Middle Eastern nations.
The urgent call to action comes after the arrest of 33-year-old Mahmoud Amin Ya’Qub al-Muhtadi, a Palestinian national linked to the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel. Despite his background and digital footprint, al-Muhtadi was allowed into the United States under the Biden administration, receiving both a visa and a green card after applying from Cairo.
Known Terrorist, Green Card Holder
According to the Department of Justice, al-Muhtadi is a member of the National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), a designated terrorist group. His cellphone was geolocated near Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7 attack — one of the deadliest massacres carried out by Hamas — where at least 60 civilians, including Americans, were brutally murdered.
FBI documents reveal al-Muhtadi wasn’t a passive observer. He sent battlefield-style commands over encrypted messaging platforms, including phrases like “Bring the rifles,” and “If you have a full magazine, bring it to me.”
Disturbingly, his social media profiles were reportedly filled with photos of him in military gear, training with Russian weapons. Yet none of this was flagged during the Biden administration’s so-called “vetting” process.
Visa Fraud and Administrative Negligence
Al-Muhtadi entered the United States through Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in September 2024. He lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, then relocated to Lafayette, Louisiana, where he was working at a restaurant when federal agents finally arrested him.
Cotton blasted the Biden administration for allowing known terror operatives to enter the U.S. under the guise of refugee and visa programs. “The vetting process for al-Muhtadi’s application overlooked easily accessible evidence of his terrorist ties,” Cotton wrote. “I urge DHS to conduct an audit of all visas issued through high-risk countries since 2021.”
A Broader Pattern of Dangerous Oversight
Cotton’s letter proposes sweeping reforms: creation of a real-time terrorist watchlist system, mandatory cross-referencing of social media activity, and enhanced digital screening for all applicants from regions with known terrorist activity.
He warned that al-Muhtadi’s case is likely just the tip of the iceberg. “No terrorist should be able to slip through undetected,” Cotton added, urging greater coordination between DHS, the FBI, and international security partners.
This isn’t Cotton’s first push for hardline immigration and national security reforms. Last year, he introduced the No Visas for Violent Criminals Act, mandating the deportation of any foreign national convicted of protest-related violence within 60 days. In December, he proposed a bill that would require all U.S. federal documents to drop the term “West Bank” in favor of “Judea and Samaria,” backing Israel’s historic claims.
Cotton’s Warning: Biden’s Policies Invite the Threat
Cotton’s broader message is simple: terrorists aren’t just sneaking into the country — they’re being welcomed in under a system riddled with political negligence. The senator placed the blame squarely on the Biden administration, calling its immigration oversight “not just ideological, but lethal.”
“We’re no longer just talking about open borders,” Cotton said. “We’re talking about an open invitation to the worst people in the world. And it has to end.”