Newly released DHS data show thousands of Afghans admitted under “Operation Allies Welcome” were identified as potential security risks following the 2021 withdrawal.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
More than 5,000 Afghan nationals resettled in the United States under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome have been flagged as potential “national security” threats, according to newly released Department of Homeland Security data revealed this week.
In total, DHS identified 6,868 evacuees with what officials termed “potential derogatory information.” Of those, 5,005 were flagged as national security threats, while roughly 1,000 were flagged for public safety concerns and 876 for fraud. The findings were disclosed to Sen. Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, after he formally requested vetting details in May 2024.
Although many of the red flags were reportedly resolved, approximately 900 individuals remain categorized as national security threats.
The revelations come just days after the fatal shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., allegedly committed by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal—a former CIA-backed paramilitary operative who entered the U.S. in 2021. Following the attack, President Trump ordered an immediate review of migrant vetting procedures and asylum approvals across 19 high-risk countries.
“I spent years calling attention to the weak vetting standards in Operation Allies Welcome, despite considerable pushback from the Biden administration and many of my colleagues in Congress,” Grassley told The New York Post. “Sadly, this past week’s tragedy in Washington only validates my concerns further. I appreciate the Trump administration’s efforts to respond to my oversight and restore order in the wake of the Biden administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and the chaos that followed.”
Investigators are considering whether post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may have played a role in the shooting. Lakanwal, who reportedly shouted “Allahu Akhbar” during the attack, served for a decade with a “Zero Unit”—a covert paramilitary force trained and funded by the CIA that fought alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan and was accused of extrajudicial killings and torture by human rights groups.
Sources told The New York Post that Lakanwal had been deeply affected by his experiences. A friend later told The New York Times that “he could not tolerate” the blood and violence he witnessed in combat, describing it as mental pressure that worsened after his relocation to the U.S.
Authorities say Lakanwal drove from Washington State to the capital before opening fire on two National Guard soldiers, killing 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and injuring another. He now faces charges including first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and multiple counts of firearm possession during a violent crime.
“There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree,” Judge Jeanine Pirro told Fox News.
President Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel have officially described the incident as a terrorist attack, while Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the Department of Justice will pursue the death penalty against Lakanwal.
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