More than 5,000 Afghan migrants brought into the United States after the 2021 withdrawal were flagged for national security concerns. The numbers come from Department of Homeland Security records obtained by the New York Post, which first reported the exclusive findings.
DHS data shows that a total of 6,868 Afghan evacuees had “potential derogatory information” discovered during federal review. Of those flagged, 5,005 individuals raised national security issues. Another 956 involved public safety concerns, and 876 were linked to possible fraud.
Officials were able to resolve many of the red flags. But as of September, 885 individuals still carried unresolved security concerns. That means potential risks remain inside the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem disclosed the information in a September 9 letter to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). The notice came just three days after the agency’s Inspector General reported that DHS “encountered obstacles to screen, vet and inspect all evacuees.”
Grassley had pressed DHS and the FBI for years about what he called “glaring red flags” in Operation Allies Welcome. The Biden-era program brought more than 70,000 Afghans into the U.S. after the rushed and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The release of the new data came just days after the ambush attack that left National Guardswoman Sarah Beckstrom dead. The attack also left Guardsman Andrew Wolfe hospitalized in critical condition.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national whose entry into the U.S. is now under new scrutiny. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Lakanwal had worked alongside the agency in Afghanistan. He said the suspect “should never have been allowed to come here.”
President Trump responded to the killing by ordering a full security review of migrants from 19 high-risk countries. He also ordered a re-evaluation of asylum approvals issued under the prior administration.
Watchdog investigations highlighted significant vetting failures. One DHS Inspector General review said the agency had a “fragmented process” for handling risks. A separate Justice Department IG report found that 55 individuals on the terror watch list still made it into the U.S. as of May 2023. Some were added to the list during the evacuation.
Federal prosecutors also charged two Afghan nationals, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi and Abdullah Haji Zada, while the IG report was being compiled. They were accused of planning an ISIS-inspired plot to disrupt the 2024 elections in Oklahoma City. Tawhedi entered the U.S. in 2021 on a Special Immigrant Visa. He later obtained two AK-47 rifles and about 500 rounds of ammunition. He pleaded guilty and now faces up to 35 years in prison. Zada received a 15-year sentence.
Former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker said the new revelations show how badly the vetting process broke down. He said it appears someone may have vouched for Lakanwal. Swecker warned that foreign cooperators often “play both ends all the time.”
The numbers confirm what many Republicans have argued for years. The hasty exit from Afghanistan created a massive national security gap. And with hundreds of cases still unresolved, the fallout is far from over.