Vance’s Concerns Over Refugee Vetting
In September 2021, J.D. Vance, then a candidate for the U.S. Senate, raised alarms about what he described as the dangers stemming from Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and subsequent refugee resettlement. He claimed that the administration was allowing “thousands of unvetted people” into the U.S., suggesting that these actions were putting American lives at risk. Now, as vice president since January 2025, Vance reiterated these concerns in a CBS interview, highlighting past incidents where individuals allegedly flagged in wealth searches were reportedly planning terrorist attacks in the U.S.
“Afghanistan is a disaster on its own,” Vance stated in a September 2021 interview with Breitbart News, “but combined with the situation at our southern border, it opens up avenues for terrorists to enter our country without any oversight.” He pointed out that the Taliban had released numerous Islamic State prisoners from an abandoned U.S. airbase, warning of the potential dangers: “They’re out there now, and if we don’t manage who comes into our country, we could face attacks in our malls and restaurants.”
In discussing the scrutiny given to Afghan refugees, Vance was emphatic: “The idea that these individuals are being properly vetted is simply untrue, and we need to call out that misinformation. Some may claim that opposition is rooted in racism, but that’s not accurate.” He expressed his concern regarding survey data from Pew Research Center indicating that a significant percentage of people might view suicide bombings as an acceptable means of addressing issues in Afghanistan. He questioned the wisdom of welcoming 100,000 people without proper vetting when almost half of the population might hold such beliefs.
After taking office as vice president, Vance engaged in a tense exchange with CBS Face the Nation’s Margaret Brennan, asserting that scrutiny of these individuals was indeed taking place. He reacted to an inquiry about potential terrorist threats, referencing recent events in Oklahoma involving an individual associated with a planned attack.
In October 2024, the Justice Department announced the arrest of a 27-year-old named Nasir Ahmad Tauhedi for allegedly plotting an attack on election day while supporting ISIS. Following this, the DOJ issued a press release, countering narratives suggesting that Afghan refugees had not undergone adequate vetting—a point previously made by various political figures.
Recently, it was reported that an attack on two National Guard soldiers in West Virginia was attributed to Rahmanullah Rakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the U.S. under the Biden administration’s Operation Welcoming Allies in September 2021. His visa had allegedly expired just a month later.
Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth condemned the violence, labeling it a “despicable” act that strengthened the resolve to maintain safety in Washington, D.C. In response to the attack, President Trump ordered the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to enhance security in the area.
