- Government data shows more than 5,000 Afghan evacuees were flagged as potential security risks.
- A deadly terrorist attack in D.C. was allegedly carried out by an Afghan evacuee.
- A separate report found at least 50 evacuees admitted were on the terrorist watchlist.
- Officials cite rushed evacuation procedures that bypassed normal security vetting.
- Hundreds of individuals remain categorized as national security threats inside the U.S.
The chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan was more than a geopolitical embarrassment; it was a direct pipeline for potential danger into American neighborhoods. Now, newly revealed government data confirms the worst fears of many citizens, showing that thousands of Afghan nationals admitted under the Biden administration's rushed evacuation were flagged as serious security risks. This alarming disclosure follows a deadly terrorist attack in Washington, D.C., allegedly carried out by an Afghan evacuee, forcing a nation to confront the catastrophic failures of its own government's vetting procedures.
According to Department of Homeland Security data obtained by Senator Chuck Grassley, more than 5,000 Afghan nationals resettled under Operation Allies Welcome were flagged as potential "national security" threats. In total, DHS identified 6,868 evacuees with what officials termed "potential derogatory information." Of those, 5,005 were flagged for national security, roughly 1,000 for public safety concerns, and 876 for fraud. While many flags were later resolved, approximately 885 individuals remained categorized as national security threats as of September.
A tragedy foretold
These numbers are not abstract. They manifest in real-world violence, as seen in the nation's capital just days before this data surfaced. Two National Guard soldiers were attacked, with 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom killed, allegedly by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal. President Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel have officially described the incident as a terrorist attack. Lakanwal, a former CIA-backed paramilitary operative who entered the U.S. in 2021, reportedly shouted "Allahu Akhbar" during the shooting. Lakanwal was reportedly granted asylum in April 2025, four years after his initial entry.
The connection between the data and the tragedy is undeniable. Senator Grassley, who has long warned of vetting failures, directly linked them. "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."
Systemic failures and watchlist breaches
The DHS data is just one part of a damning portrait of systemic failure. A separate Justice Department Inspector General report from June revealed that at least 50 evacuees were actually on the terrorist watchlist, with 55 such individuals having already reached U.S. soil before being identified. The report stated, "the need to immediately evacuate Afghans overtook the normal processes required to determine whether individuals attempting to enter the United States pose a threat to national security."
Among those who slipped through was Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, who entered in September 2021. He was later arrested in 2024 after obtaining assault rifles and ammunition for an ISIS-inspired plot to disrupt elections in Oklahoma City. He has since pleaded guilty to providing material support for ISIS.
In response to the Washington attack, President Trump ordered an immediate review of migrant vetting procedures and asylum approvals for migrants from 19 high-risk countries. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, commenting on the accused shooter Lakanwal, stated, "This individual — and so many others — should have never been allowed to come here."
The Biden administration's legacy in Afghanistan remains marked by chaos and retreat. Operation Allies Welcome, sold as a moral obligation to allies, became a rushed process that bypassed normal security protocols in the scramble to evacuate tens of thousands. The consequences of that haste are now embedded in American communities—thousands initially flagged as potential security threats, with hundreds remaining under suspicion years later. While subsequent administrations have continued processing these cases, the original sin was the botched withdrawal itself: a chaotic evacuation that prioritized speed over safety. The DHS data reveals the scope of that failure, and tragedies like the death of Sarah Beckstrom serve as reminders that the costs of incompetent planning are not measured in embarrassment alone, but in American lives lost on American soil.
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