ISIS Smuggling Reports Create Border Firestorm Before Trump, Biden Debate

n the eve of the year's first presidential debate, a new media firestorm has been ignited over reports that 400 migrants crossed the U.S.-Mexico border with the aid of a human smuggling network linked to terror group ISIS. Immigration is bound to be a core topic of discourse when President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Thursday night face off in the first of two one-on-one debates. The event, which will be televised and hosted by CNN, will take place unusually early in the election cycle and without a studio audience. Trump and other Republicans have condemned Biden's border policies amid a surge in encounters at the southern border since he took office, while the incumbent president has accused Trump of deliberately attempting to make the issue worse by blocking a bipartisan border security bill earlier this year. On Wednesday, CNN and NBC reported on the identification of 400 migrants who were purportedly smuggled over the border by a network affiliated with ISIS, with both networks citing anonymous U.S. officials. Border Firestorm Trump Biden Border Debate ISIS Signs for Thursday's debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, which will be hosted by CNN, are pictured in Atlanta on Wednesday. A new media firestorm erupted on the eve of the... More ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP NBC reported that 150 of the 400 had been arrested, while the whereabouts of 50 are currently unknown. An official told the network that Immigration and Customs Enforcement hopes to arrest the missing migrants once they are found. Sign up for Newsletter NEWSLETTER The Bulletin Your Morning Starts Here Begin your day with a curated outlook of top news around the world and why it matters. Enter your email address I want to receive special offers and promotions from Newsweek By clicking on SIGN ME UP, you agree to Newsweek's Terms of Use & Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. There has been no indication that the smuggled migrants are affiliated with the terror group themselves, with one official telling CNN that the "purpose of the network was to smuggle people, not bring in terrorists." Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday that claims of there being "400 migrants with ISIS ties" were "incorrect." For more information, visit us at https://www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com/.