Homeland Security Secretary Critiques Biden Administration on Afghan Resettlement

During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressed concern over the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, citing it as a reason for inadequate vetting of Afghan refugees. This situation, she argued, contributed to the recent shooting deaths of two National Guard members.

“We know this individual entered the country through Operation Allied Welcome. And throughout the Biden administration, even during the chaotic withdrawal in 2021, he was in the Washington state area. We’ve reached out to his contacts, investigated the information available, and we plan to keep doing so,” Noem stated. “We will use every resource to bring him to justice for this tragic incident that has affected families, taken the life of one of our soldiers, and seriously injured another.”

Noem continued, “We cannot allow events like this to occur in our nation. It’s unacceptable for individuals who came here without thorough vetting under Joe Biden to have such freedom. They will face justice, and we will ensure they are denied entry if their intentions are not aligned with becoming American citizens.”

She further criticized the Biden administration, saying, “Following the abandonment of Afghanistan, the administration sent people on planes to the U.S. without proper evaluations. They then claimed they would vet them once they arrived.”

“There should be a vetting process for those entering our nation, but Joe Biden failed to conduct any proper checks before allowing these individuals in. He waited until they were already in the U.S. before accepting their asylum applications. This is clearly a responsibility that rests with the Biden administration. The end result is that our country is now more vulnerable as a consequence of these decisions.”