Terrorist sleeper cells? Will securing the border stop terrorism?

(Pixaby photo for the Unknown Wanted Terrorists)

There have been reports of Iranian and other terrorist cells in the United States that some fear may be soon activated because of the Trump Administration’s recent bombing of Iranian nuclear sites. Here is one such report:

What is a sleeper cell, and why are US officials on high alert?

June 27, 2025

(NewsNation) — As tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, the threat of sleeper cells has “never been higher,” according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, although no specific or credible threats have yet emerged.

In a memo obtained by NewsNation, CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said, “Thousands of Iranian nationals have been documented entering the United States illegally and countless more were likely in the known and unknown got-a-ways.”

While there is no current actionable intelligence, Scott emphasized the need for vigilance: “Though we have not received any specific credible threats … the threat of sleeper cells or sympathizers acting on their own, or at the behest of Iran has never been higher.”

What are sleeper cells, and how do they operate?

Sleeper cells are spies or terrorists who operate in rival countries and remain inactive until they are essentially ordered to act.

NewsNation national security contributor Tracy Walder explained that while the concept of Iranian sleeper cells in the U.S. is not new, there may have been a recent influx of agents.

“They have sleeper cells here. Quite frankly, they have for decades. … They are just waiting for the right moment,” Walder said. …

Identifying sleeper cells is extremely difficult. Walter pointed out that some individuals may be homegrown or enter the U.S. undetected. https://www.kxan.com/news/national-news/what-is-a-sleeper-cell-and-why-are-us-officials-on-high-alert/

Notice one proposed solution against terrorists in the USA:

Secure Borders Can Win Against Terrorism

June 25, 2025

The Iran crisis of the past two weeks isn’t just about nuclear weapons — it’s also an urgent reminder that border security is national security.

Tehran’s terrorist agents are a weapon with a much longer reach than any of the mullahs’ missiles. …

After American forces bombed three Iranian nuclear-program sites on Saturday, NBC News reported Iran had earlier warned Trump it could activate “sleeper cells” within the United States to retaliate against an attack on its facilities.

Rodney Scott, commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, alerted CBP agents to the danger the country now faces because of the porous border policies of the Joe Biden administration:

“Over the past four years, thousands of Iranian (nationals) have been documented entering the United States illegally and countless more were likely in the known and unknown got-a-ways,” he wrote in an agency memo. …

The security we enjoy on our continent, and throughout the Americas, has been the envy of other great powers for two and a half centuries.

But the tranquility our geography and history afford us has to be defended against the dark side of globalization, including the transcontinental terrorism it makes possible.

Winning the wars of the future calls for stopping them from ever getting started within our borders. https://www.newsmax.com/danielmccarthy/terrorism-border-security-iran/2025/06/25/id/1216379/

While there are various reasons to secure a nation’s borders, including stopping some acts of terrorism, in the case of the United States that will NOT stop terrorism from hitting.

Why?

Well, the Bible warns that more terrorism will hit a corrupt people:

5 They have corrupted themselves; They are not His children, Because of their blemish: A perverse and crooked generation. … 25 The sword shall destroy outside; There shall be terror within (Deuteronomy 32:5,25)

12 “Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh. (Ezekiel 21:12)

25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. (Proverbs 1:25-27)

5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way (Ecclesiastes 12:5).

6 You have forsaken Me,” says the Lord,
“You have gone backward.
Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;
I am weary of relenting!
7 And I will winnow them with a winnowing fan in the gates of the land;
I will bereave them of children;
I will destroy My people,
Since they do not return from their ways.
8 Their widows will be increased to Me more than the sand of the seas;
I will bring against them,
Against the mother of the young men,
A plunderer at noonday;
I will cause anguish and terror to fall on them suddenly. (Jeremiah 15:6-8)

Consider the following as applicable to the terrorists themselves:

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality…30…violent, proud, boasters, … 31 … unmerciful; (Romans 1:28-31)

8 … And the violence of the land and the city,
And of all who dwell in it.

9 “Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house,
That he may set his nest on high, (Habakkuk 2:8-9)

We will continue to see violence and other terroristic acts.

We are in a violent generation:

11 There is a generation that curses its father,
And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation — oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives, (Proverbs 30:11-14)

There is a prophetic Psalm that points to people from the Middle East and North Africa being involved in terrorism.

That Psalm shows that those peoples will be involved in a destructive deal:

3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

5 For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot. (Psalm 83:3-8)

Taking “crafty counsel” sounds like it includes terrorism. And yes, this would seem to include “sleeper cells,” and not just those associated with Iran.

The deal in Psalm 83 looks to involve war and terrorism–and that will be against the United States and its British-descended allies, as well as the nation called Israel.

The late WCG evangelist Raymond McNair wrote:

The coalition of nations mentioned in Psalm 83 is clearly intended as an end-time prophecy, that shows which nations will wage war against the modern-day descendants of Israel, and this includes the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic, English-Speaking peoples. (McNair R. Solving the Arab-Israeli Impasse! CG21, 2005)

While Psalm 83 is not yet being fulfilled, we are hearing calls from nations in the Middle East and Northern Africa that appear to be preludes to that.

Securing the border of the United States will not stop terrorism from hitting.

The USA needs national repentance from its perverse corruption or it will face “terror within” (Deuteronomy 32:25).

The USA and the rest of the world needs the return of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

For additional information, check out the following articles:

Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam. Here is a shorter video: Afghanis: Potential terrorists?
Crime can be stopped…here’s how! This was a booklet that was edited with some updates by Dr. Thiel. Here is a link to a related sermon: Crime and How it Will be Stopped!
25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,500 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?