According to a report by the Department of Justice, US officials have identified 55 Afghan evacuees on terrorist watchlists following the withdrawal from the Middle East in 2021.
A report released on Tuesday confirmed long-held suspicions among Republican lawmakers that the Biden administration didn’t adequately vet refugees to prevent those with ties to the Taliban from entering the US.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) expressed concern about the vetting process for Afghan evacuees since August 2021, stating, “The Biden-Harris administration, along with Democratic colleagues and much of the media, overlooked this significant risk that has now been confirmed by a nonpartisan national security analysis.”
The FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) reported that 55 Afghans, already on the terrorist watchlist, entered the US during the evacuation and resettlement efforts. Notably, at least 21 individuals were flagged after they had already arrived in the country.
After an investigation, the FBI concluded that 46 evacuees were removed from the watchlist and no longer posed a threat. However, as of July 2024, nine individuals remain on the watchlist, with eight still in the US.
Grassley argued that the Biden-Harris administration endangered American lives by allowing uncertain individuals to enter the US, asserting he would continue to keep an eye on this issue.
During the 2021 evacuation, about 90,000 Afghans were permitted to enter the US under the Alliance Shelter (OAR) and Alliance Operations Welcome (OAW) programs, which were aimed at streamlining immigration processing for those fleeing Afghanistan.
The FBI noted that the urgency of evacuating Afghans led to a bypassing of the usual vetting procedures to assess national security risks.
Despite the presence of 55 flagged individuals, the DOJ inspector stated that the FBI had effectively communicated and addressed the identified national security concerns.
Last October, the DOJ revealed allegations against an Afghan citizen in the US, suggesting he was plotting a terrorist attack influenced by ISIS during a chaotic withdrawal.
Nasir Ahmad Tawedi, a 27-year-old living in Oklahoma City on a special immigration visa, was reportedly making preparations to carry out an attack with an AK-47 rifle and ammunition, claiming it was “in the name of ISIS.” Tawedi entered the US on September 9, 2021, shortly after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan and US troops departed. He is currently awaiting trial for allegedly providing material support to ISIS.
