As we all know, the West, particularly the USA, has an absolutely massive surveillance state. It is so powerful, they can blithely capture a President’s phone calls, and release them when they feel appropriate.
They can also catch terrorists sometimes too, but that’s not the main purpose or intent of their leaders and their vast capabilities. It is about political control.
It’s a self fulfilling prophecy. Letting anyone in requires a police state to keep order and that suited the last administration just fine.