ISIS Terrorists May Be Entering U.S. With Fake Passports, Militant Group May Have Passport Printing Machine, Blank Passports

ISIS terrorists may have technologically advanced methods of entering the United States without alarming Homeland Security, and it’s all because of passports — fake passports, to be more specific. American authorities fear passport printing machines and blank passports have fallen into the wrong hands, and members of the jihadist militant group may be entering the United States disguised as Syrian refugees with travel documents that appear as authentic as Syrian passports, according to RT.com.

ISIS can print authentic Syrian passports, may infiltrate US https://t.co/xnFrCxZEbL

— conanait (@conanait) December 11, 2015

Last week, Homeland Security Investigations released a 17-page intelligence report to law enforcement officials. Based on the report, ISIS may have had access to a passport printing machine and boxes of blank passports for the past 17 months. Around that particular time, the militant group took over the city of Deir ez-Zor, which happens to be where a Syrian passport office is located.

“Since more than 17 months [have] passed since Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor fell to ISIS, it is possible that individuals from Syria with passports ‘issued’ in these ISIS controlled cities or who had passport blanks, may have traveled to the U.S.,” the report says.

An inside source reportedly informed United States officials about the rise in fake Syrian passports. However, fraudulent passports apparently aren’t the only documents ISIS has been able to simulate. The source revealed Syria is flooded with fake documents.

“The source further stated that fake Syrian passports are so prevalent in Syria that Syrians do not even view possessing them as illegal,” the report says. “The source stated fake Syrian passports can be obtained in Syria for $200 to $400 and that backdated passport stamps to be placed in the passport cost the same.”

However, that’s not all. The city of Raqqa, Syria, ISIS’ de facto capital, also has a passport office. So although HSI believes ISIS may have started circulating fake passports since last summer, the truth is they may have been doing so for much longer than the time frame being reported.

Although the speculation has yet to be confirmed, FBI Director James Comey expressed concerns about their available resources and capabilities to create fraudulent passports that look so authentic even American authorities find them difficult to decipher.

“The intelligence community is concerned that they [ISIS] have the ability, the capability to manufacture fraudulent passports, which is a concern in any setting,” Comey said.

Former Department of Homeland Security intelligence official John Cohen also voiced similar concerns about the fake passports and the security risks ISIS could cause for the United States in the near future.

“If ISIS has been able to acquire legitimate passports or machines that create legitimate passports, this would represent a major security risk in the United States.”

According to ABC News, ISIS fake passports have already been discovered in both Europe and Turkey. Even in France, one of the gunmen involved in the Paris shooting, which took place on November 13, was able to cross the French border under the guise of a Syrian refugee. Did he have a fake passport? Although no fake Syrian passports have been discovered in the United States yet, there is a strong possibility some may be discovered in the near future due to the influx of Syrian refugees that have been relocated throughout parts of the country.

According to US News, statistics have revealed Syrian refugees have been placed in 36 states throughout the United States. So, there may be ISIS members with fake Syrian passports living closer than you think.

The latest news follows a string of reports about states demanding the Obama administration halt the relocation of Syrian refugees in the wake of recent mass shootings and terrorist attacks. Although many governors have voiced their concerns, Syrian refugees are still being allowed to enter the United States. In addition to the mass shootings and terrorist attacks, ISIS’ alleged use of fraudulent passports will probably be added to the long lists of concerns about Syrian refugees.

Do you think ISIS has the ability to create fake passports? Should the Obama administration refrain from letting Syrian refugees and other immigrants into the United States? Share your thoughts.

[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]