Isn’t this a pretty standard practice across the world? If someone has extensive ties to and/or sympathies for a specific regime, they’ll be more susceptible to coercion and compromise by that regime. Why purposely put them in the place where they are most likely to be coerced and/or compromised?
You have to weigh the benefit (their familiarity with local perspectives and customs) against the cost (increased risk of counter-intel failures).
There’s a reason Starfleet sends Captain Picard far away to the Romulan border when the Borg are attacking Earth. Or am I missing something?