Iranian sleeper cells may be hiding ‘in plain sight’ waiting to target rural US areas, terrorism expert warns

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Counterterrorism expert says Iranian sleeper cells might be hiding ‘in plain sight’

Counterterrorism expert Jonathan Gilliam said Iranian sleeper cells might be hiding "in plain sight" as Iran has issued threats against America.

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A counterterrorism expert says that Iranian sleeper cells may be hiding “in plain sight,” waiting to strike rural areas in America.

Following strikes by the U.S. military on several Iranian nuclear sites on June 22, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin, stating there’s a heightened risk for Iranian-backed or domestic terrorism.

“The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland,” stated the bulletin. “Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020.”

Jonathan Gilliam former FBI special agent who has worked on terrorism task forces, told Fox News Digital that these terror cells might be in our backyard.

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Aerial view of downtown Bozeman, Montana at dusk. Main Street with lights twinkling from local businesses and vehicles. dramatic sky as the sun sets over the mountains. (iStock/DianeBentleyRaymond)

“Where these sleeper cells may be is in plain sight,” Gilliam said. “And that’s the real terrifying part of this is that putting people in place, as we’ve seen over the past four years, everyone’s scrambling because certain amounts of people could come in here and get in here.”

Gilliam said the Biden administration’s border policies enabled Iranian illegal immigrants to come into the U.S. with impunity, creating the conditions for sleeper cells to exist.

“They could even go to the border and say they [want to] seek asylum, and the Biden administration, instead of putting them into DHS housing or ICE housing and holding them there so they could have their first appearance. To be vetted and whether or not they get asylum,” he said of Iranian illegal immigrants.

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Map of US strikes on Iran. (Fox News)

Following the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has tamped up enforcement efforts targeted at Iranian illegal immigrants.

Since June 18, over 130 Iranian nationals have been arrested, multiple federal sources told Fox News, adding that 670 Iranians are in ICE custody.

Gilliam said that these sleeper cells could be targeting America’s rural areas since they’re “not well protected.”

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Iranian worshippers hold up their hands as signs of unity with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during an anti-Israeli rally to condemn Israel’s attacks on Iran, in downtown Tehran, Iran, on Jun. 20, 2025.  (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“There is a possibility that sleeper cells could target more rural states instead of a large city. In fact, considering the evolution of attacks by fundamental Islamic attackers we’ve seen in Israel on October 7th, 2023 and in India this year, it is possible that a similar attack could happen at a rural, outdoor entertainment venue or populated vacation spot,” Gilliam said.

Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.