The attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, where Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar drove a truck into a crowd, killing several and injuring dozens, stands as a chilling indictment of America’s compromised law enforcement and national security framework.  Confirmed as an act of terror, with authorities pointing to the presence of an ISIS flag, the attack underscores how misplaced priorities, porous borders, and failed executive leadership have left the nation vulnerable to both violent crime and extremist ideologies.

At some level, the attack highlights the broader threat posed by extremist ideologies.  Although there is no public evidence at this time of a direct connection to ISIS, the presence of an ISIS flag suggests that the perpetrator — at a bare minimum — may have been a sympathizer, an imitator, or otherwise influenced by the group’s ideology.  This is part of a troubling pattern.  From the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack to the 2017 New York City bike path massacre, vehicular terrorism has become a favored tactic of extremist organizations.  Now the New Orleans attack serves as another grim reminder that the United States is not immune to this escalating threat.

Misplaced Priorities at the FBI

Once the gold standard in law enforcement, the FBI has been undermined by politically driven distractions and degraded hiring standards.  Jim Jordan’s recent inquiry revealed that the FBI is no longer recruiting “the best and brightest.”  Instead, Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE) mandates have driven down hiring standards, relaxing critical qualifications in areas such as physical fitness, financial stability, and mental health.  Whistleblowers described current recruits as “bread crumbs” — applicants rejected by other federal law enforcement agencies but hired to meet ideological quotas.

This decline in standards coincides with a troubling shift in focus.  Resources that should be dedicated to dismantling terror networks and combating violent crime have been diverted to politically motivated investigations, such as targeting parents at school board meetings.  The result is a federal law enforcement agency less equipped to address the real threats posed by radicalized individuals and violent criminals.

The presence of the ISIS flag in Jabbar’s truck underscores where real extremism lies.  It is not with concerned citizens raising their voices in public forums, but with a terror-linked ideology that thrives on destruction and death.  Under the Biden-Harris administration, the FBI has prioritized ideological agendas over its core mission to protect the public, leaving Americans increasingly vulnerable.

A Border in Crisis

The Biden-Harris administration’s open-border policies have compounded these failures.  Eagle Pass, Texas, where Jabbar’s truck was recorded in November, serves as a stark symbol of the administration’s neglect.  While Jabbar was a U.S. citizen, the porous border has become a gateway for those seeking to exploit America’s vulnerabilities.

Drug cartels, with well documented ties to extremist organizations, have turned the border into a critical route for smuggling weapons, money, and personnel.  These cartels provide logistical support and resources that enable terror groups to conduct their deadly agendas.  The ease with which Jabbar moved from a high-risk border area to New Orleans highlights systemic failures in monitoring and enforcement.  For every individual or vehicle flagged, countless others slip through undetected, putting Americans at greater risk.

A Plan for Action

To restore safety and security, the incoming Trump administration must take decisive steps to address these systemic failures:

1. Deport Unauthorized Individuals, Prioritizing Criminals and Terror Suspects: Launch a nationwide effort to deport those who have entered the U.S. illegally or remain without authorization.  The priority must be the removal of those who have committed addittional crimes and individuals with suspected ties to terrorist organizations, ensuring that they face justice in the U.S. before deportation.
2. Target Violent Crime and Terror Networks: Refocus federal law enforcement efforts on dismantling extremist cells and addressing violent crime.  Counterterrorism must once again be the FBI’s and the DOJ’s top priority.
3. Rebuild the FBI: Reinstate rigorous hiring standards to ensure that only the most qualified candidates serve as special agents.  Redirect resources away from ideological distractions like DIE mandates and back to addressing violent crime and terrorism.
4. Secure the Border: Fortify high-risk areas like Eagle Pass with advanced surveillance, increased personnel, and better intelligence-sharing.  Shutting down the routes exploited by drug cartels and terrorist organizations must be a non-negotiable priority.
5. Depoliticize Law Enforcement: Federal agencies must abandon politically motivated initiatives and focus solely on justice and national security.  The FBI and DOJ must serve the American people, not partisan agendas.

A Nation in Crisis

This is not merely a wake-up call — it is a crisis of leadership and priorities.  The lives lost in New Orleans are a direct consequence of a federal government that has failed to uphold its most fundamental duty: protecting its citizens.

Leadership matters.  Focus matters.  Security matters.  Borders matter.  Anything less than decisive action to rebuild our institutions and restore safety will leave Americans vulnerable to even greater dangers.

Charlton Allen is an attorney and former chief executive officer and chief judicial officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission.  He is the founder and editor of The American Salient and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast.

Image: J via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.