exclusive: Recent arrests by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have included Afghan refugees with troubling backgrounds, such as convictions for sexual assault and lewd acts with minors, and allegations involving child abuse and support for terrorism.
This wave of arrests followed a tragic incident where a former Afghan evacuee reportedly shot two National Guardsmen in West Virginia, killing one. The Department of Homeland Security indicated that these captures highlight systemic weaknesses in the screening process that was hurriedly implemented following the fall of Kabul in 2021.
While Biden administration officials assert that the 2021 review of Operation Welcoming Allies was sufficient, a senior DHS official pointed out that a lack of thorough background checks contributed to the recent rise in attacks. “The approach of ‘trust without verification’ has its consequences,” they noted.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin remarked, “When Mr. Biden permitted 190,000 Afghan nationals to enter, they didn’t have any serious vetting regarding criminal backgrounds or social media. They simply took someone’s word for their identity as truth.”
The DHS has been active in apprehending individuals considered to be unvetted, including sex offenders and individuals suspected of terrorism, as part of its enforcement of immigration policies established during Trump’s administration.
Notably, not all arrests pertain to Afghan refugees. They also include an Iraqi individual, Zia-ul-Haq Faqiri, who entered the U.S. under the guise of an “Iraqi Special Immigration Officer” and has a history of criminal behavior, including sexual abuse and assault.
Nevertheless, many apprehended have ties to the evacuation efforts following the U.S. exit from Afghanistan. For instance, one such evacuee, Kesmat Din Zahran, was captured and later convicted of indecent acts with a minor.
Another individual, Mansour Walizada, involved in Operation Arise Refuge, was arrested for sexual assault and child fondling. ICE also detained Mohammad Tabesh Rasoli, who had a conviction for a hit-and-run incident that seriously injured a pedestrian.
In Iowa, Javid Gamzeen, another Afghan evacuee, was acknowledged by officials after requesting a transfer, having convictions for drug possession and robbery.
There were also cases like Asirullah Khalid Khan and Saeed Mohammad Tanai, both of whom were arrested and had criminal records involving assault and sexual offenses. Additionally, an Afghan refugee in Virginia was taken into custody on suspicion of supporting an extremist group.
This individual, identified as Jaan Shah Safi, was arrested with links to an Afghan militia, highlighting the complexities of vetting processes during resettlement. Notably, Safi had requested Temporary Protected Status shortly after arriving in the U.S.
In another incident linked to potential terror threats, Luqman Khan, a student at the University of Delaware, was arrested with an arsenal including a handgun and suspicious notes, raising concerns about his intentions. There were conflicting reports regarding his nationality, with some sources asserting he was Afghan, despite subsequent clarifications from Pakistan’s foreign ministry.
Biden’s team has not yet given a specific response to these issues.
