Thousands of Afghan evacuees flagged for security concerns in US since 2021

Newly released federal data reveals that thousands of Afghans who entered the United States following the 2021 withdrawal were flagged for potential security or background concerns, putting renewed scrutiny on the Operation Allies Welcome resettlement program.

According to figures provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, authorities identified “potential derogatory information” on 6,868 Afghan evacuees who arrived after the fall of Kabul. Of those:

5,005 were linked to potential national security concerns

956 were flagged for public safety issues

876 for possible fraud indicators

While most of the concerns were later resolved, DHS reported that 885 individuals remained with unresolved national security flags as of September.

Grassley, who has long questioned vetting procedures during the rapid evacuation, said the new data demonstrates “glaring red flags” in the process that brought more than 70,000 Afghans to the United States.

Figures Emerge Amid Fallout From Washington Shooting

The disclosure comes days after a deadly shooting near the White House that killed National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically injured Andrew Wolfe, 24. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan evacuee who arrived in 2021, has been charged with first-degree murder and multiple counts of assault.

The attack reignited national debate over vetting standards. President Donald Trump ordered an immediate review of screening procedures for migrants from high-risk countries, directed federal agencies to pause asylum decisions, and suspended visa issuance for all Afghan passport holders while the process is reassessed.

Inspectors General Raised Vetting Concerns

Correspondence from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to Grassley noted that the department had faced “obstacles to screen, vet, and inspect all evacuees.” Additional watchdog reports have highlighted weaknesses:

A DHS Inspector General review found a “fragmented process” for tracking potential security risks within the program.

The Justice Department’s Inspector General reported in June that 55 individuals on the U.S. terror watch list had reached ports of entry by May 2023, including some added to the list during the evacuation period.

The FBI has similarly warned that the speed of the 2021 evacuation “overtook normal processes,” increasing the risk that dangerous individuals could slip through screening.

Federal prosecutors recently charged two Afghan nationals—Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi and Abdullah Haji Zada—with plotting an ISIS-inspired attack to disrupt the 2024 election in Oklahoma City. Tawhedi pleaded guilty in June and faces up to 35 years in prison; Zada was sentenced to 15 years.

Fallout and Political Response

The Washington shooting placed renewed attention on Trump’s crime-prevention deployment in the capital, where both Beckstrom and Wolfe had been serving. Following the attack, Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard personnel into Washington, with nearly 2,200 troops now operating under the joint task force.

Lakanwal, who lived in Washington state with his family, previously served in a CIA-backed “Zero Unit” in Kandahar, according to federal officials and relatives.

Trump accused the Biden administration of enabling the suspect’s entry in 2021. Immigration officials later confirmed that Lakanwal had applied for asylum under former president Joe Biden but was granted asylum earlier this year under Trump.

The policy reversals have drawn criticism from advocacy groups. Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac, said the administration was “using a single violent individual as cover for a policy they have long planned,” arguing that the changes unfairly punish Afghan allies.

Ongoing Review of Vetting Standards

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said asylum decisions will remain paused “until we can ensure every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that visa issuance for Afghan passport holders is also temporarily suspended.

The new DHS data is now at the center of a broader political and security debate that has intensified following the Washington attack, with federal agencies under pressure to demonstrate that updated vetting procedures are robust and comprehensive.