(NBC) An Afghan migrant on the terrorist watchlist spent nearly a year inside the U.S. after he was apprehended and released by Border Patrol agents last year, U.S. officials told NBC News. The man was arrested in February and then released last month again by an immigration judge who was not told he was a national security threat.
Mohammad Kharwin, 48, was freed on bond as he awaited an immigration hearing in Texas, scheduled for 2025, U.S. officials said. There were no restrictions on his movements inside the U.S.
Late Thursday, Kharwin was taken into custody again by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, a Homeland Security spokesperson said. A source familiar with the matter said that “based on the information currently available, there is no reason to believe this individual entered the country as part of a terrorist mission.”
