Cotton Urges DHS to Review Biden-Era Visas After Louisiana Hamas Case

(Louisiana) Senator Tom Cotton is urging the Department of Homeland Security to launch an immediate security review of all Biden-era visas after a grand jury indictment named Mahmoud Amin Ya’Qub al‑Muhtadi, an alleged Hamas terrorist living in Louisiana. Prosecutors say he entered the United States on a fraudulent visa months after the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel.

Cotton’s letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem presses the department to:

• Audit visas issued since 2021 for applicants from high‑risk countries.
• Step up social media checks during vetting.
• Work with the FBI on a real-time watchlist for terror affiliates before they enter the country.

The case is drawing national scrutiny because it touches both immigration vetting and counterterrorism while Congress and the administration debate how far security measures should go.

Details of the indictment and timeline

According to public filings described by congressional offices, the 33‑year‑old Gazan man was indicted last week for:

• Alleged participation in the October 7 attacks, and
• Lying about his paramilitary training and ties to Hamas during consular screening at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.

Investigators later pieced together geolocational data and social media evidence that pointed to his involvement. He is now in federal custody in Louisiana. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Authorities say he entered the country using a visa obtained after October 7, a timeline Cotton argues exposes gaps in the vetting process for applicants linked to conflict zones.

Cotton’s demands and rationale

Cotton’s request lands amid increased political pressure around visa screening for nationals of high‑risk regions. He contends that thousands of visa applications from Palestinians were processed after October 7, 2023, and that U.S. agencies often did not conduct deep reviews of applicants’ digital footprints or run them against relevant watchlists.

His letter calls for four specific steps:

1. Audit of Biden-era visas issued since 2021
   • Focus on high‑risk countries, with priority for possible links to Hamas or other designated groups.
2. Enhanced social media monitoring
   • Move beyond collecting identifiers to deeper, standardized reviews that surface extremist links.
3. Real-time watchlist screening
   • Implement a mandatory system that flags terror affiliates before admission.
4. FBI collaboration
   • Ensure DHS and the FBI coordinate closely, with clear rules for information sharing and rapid action to identify and remove individuals if later evidence shows terrorist support.

What intelligence revealed and current vetting gaps

The State Department typically checks social media accounts before issuing visas. However, in al‑Muhtadi’s case, officials only learned the full scope of his alleged activity through Israeli intelligence shared with the Trump administration earlier in 2025.

Cotton argues this sequence shows the current vetting did not catch clear signals until after the visa was issued and the individual was inside the United States. Supporters say that while most applicants are honest, even a small miss can carry extreme risks.

Policy moves since early 2025

• On June 9, 2025, a Presidential Proclamation suspended or restricted visa issuance for nationals of 19 countries deemed high risk for terrorism.
  • The proclamation does not automatically cancel visas issued before that date, which critics say leaves a gap in security.
• On January 20, 2025, Executive Order 14161 restored what the White House called “extreme vetting” standards, reinstating more intensive screening and ordering a policy review across federal agencies.

As of October 22, 2025, DHS has not publicly announced an audit tied specifically to Cotton’s letter, but the administration points to the January executive order, the June proclamation, and routine vetting programs as evidence of tighter controls.

Summary of 2025 federal actions

• Broad barrier to new entries via visa restrictions for 19 countries.
• No automatic revocation of visas issued before June 9, 2025.
• Calls from hawkish lawmakers to examine previously issued visas so new intelligence can prompt reopening of cases.

Legal framework and political debate

The legal framework already:

• Bars immigration benefits for anyone who engages in terrorist activity or belongs to a terrorist organization.
• Supports visa cancellation and removal if an applicant concealed material facts.

Cotton’s push is primarily for stricter enforcement and retroactive review, not necessarily new laws. That approach intensifies political debate:

• Civil liberties advocates warn against broad-brush actions that punish entire communities.
• Security-focused lawmakers argue the stakes justify more aggressive screening.

Practical impacts on applicants and families

VisaVerge.com reports that processing times for applicants from high‑risk countries have lengthened since the mid‑year proclamation. Interviews have become more detailed, and families seeking reunification report extra document requests and repeat security checks.

What stricter vetting means for applicants:

• Longer timelines: Decisions may be delayed by weeks or months.
• More documentation required: Detailed travel history, prior addresses, education and work records, and consistent social media identifiers.
• Interviews under greater scrutiny: Probing into affiliations, military service, and past activities.
• Post‑issuance reviews: New intelligence can prompt follow-up, requests for evidence, or revocation even after a visa is issued.

Travelers already in the United States on visas issued before June 9, 2025 are not subject to automatic cancellation under the proclamation. Still, officials may reopen cases if evidence ties a visa holder to prohibited activity. That prospect has caused anxiety in immigrant communities.

Community leaders in Louisiana have urged residents to:

• Keep documents current.
• Seek legal counsel if they receive government notices.

Local impacts in Louisiana

In Louisiana, where the alleged Hamas terrorist was arrested, residents have observed federal agents handling a case that blends immigration vetting with counterterrorism.

• Families in mixed‑status households worry about spillover effects, such as broader checks that slow routine renewals.
• Employers who rely on foreign workers—healthcare systems, refineries, and universities—report added uncertainty in hiring plans if applicants face extended review.

While federal actions target security risks, the day‑to‑day effects reach much farther.

Existing operational tools

The administration highlights programs already in place, such as the Visa Security Program run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which embeds officers at certain consulates to vet high‑risk cases and coordinate with intelligence partners.

Readers can review the program’s official overview at the U.S. government site for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Visa Security Program.

Officials say programs like this form the backbone of enhanced screening, even as Congress pushes for more.

Criticism and counterarguments

• Critics note that many applicants from high‑risk countries pose no threat and pass extensive checks.
  • They argue sweeping audits risk stigmatizing entire populations and could slow or block people who helped U.S. interests abroad.
• Supporters counter that the al‑Muhtadi case shows why a broad review is needed: once a person enters, removal can be harder than prevention.

The central tradeoff remains speed versus security.

Operational and technical challenges

The government faces a technical challenge in building a durable, real‑time watchlist that feeds into consular systems without sweeping in people based on mistaken identity.

• Officials rarely discuss operational details for security reasons.
• There is no public confirmation of a new mandatory watchlist system of the kind Cotton seeks as of October 22, 2025.

Practical advice for applicants, families, and employers

• Expect higher refusal rates and longer reviews if applying from countries covered by the June restrictions.
• Those already in the U.S. on visas issued before June 9, 2025:
  • Keep addresses updated with agencies.
  • Respond quickly to any official notice.
  • Avoid inconsistencies in records that could raise questions.
• Lawyers note existing statutes that permit visa revocation or removal when a person lied on an application—misstatements can carry steep consequences years later.

How the Louisiana case may shape policy

The outcome of the Louisiana prosecution will likely influence public opinion and policy direction:

• If court records show information could have been found during initial screening, expect calls to reopen past approvals.
• If not, the debate may shift toward post‑visa monitoring and quicker intelligence sharing between allies and U.S. agencies.

The stakes are high. Supporters of tighter rules say one miss is too many with designated groups like Hamas. Opponents warn that blanket suspicion can push away the people the United States 🇺🇸 seeks to welcome—students, scientists, and families who follow the rules.

For now, the administration’s moves signal a harder edge, and Congress appears ready to press for more.