Afghans arrested by ICE released into the country by the Biden administration

By Bethany Blankley
The Center Square

Federal and local law enforcement officers have been arresting Afghan men since they were released into the country by the Biden administration in 2021.

Key arrests made major headlines this past week after one Afghan national was charged with shooting two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., killing one. The day before, a terrorist plot was foiled in Fort Worth where an Afghan man was arrested with the help of Texas Department of Public Safety. Not soon after, an Afghan man was arrested in Virginia, accused of providing support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

They were all released into the U.S. through Biden administration Operation Allies Welcome or Operation Allies Refuge in 2021, authorities said. The programs facilitated taxpayer-funded flights of many unvetted Afghan nationals into the U.S. after the Biden administration’s deadly withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country in August 2021. As the withdrawal occurred, an Afghan-ISIS attack killed 13 U.S. service members.

Despite the attack, more than 77,000 Afghans were released into the country who weren’t properly vetted, according to a 2022 Office of Inspector General report. The OIG warned the administration “may have admitted or paroled individuals into the United States who pose a risk to national security and the safety of local communities.”

Once in the country, multiple Afghan men were initially arrested on a range of sexual crime charges including at U.S. military bases where they were being held, The Center Square reported. As the border crisis worsened, Afghans also illegally entered through the southwest border, including those arrested by Texas authorities. An ISIS-linked terrorist attack was foiled in Houston, however an ISIS-connected attack successfully killed 15 in New Orleans, injuring an additional 50, this year.

“The Biden administration created one of the worst and most complex national security crises in American history, which the Trump administration has been working every day since January 20 to clean up,” the Department of Homeland Security said Friday.

DHS highlighted other recent ICE arrests of Afghan men released into the U.S. in 2021 through Operations Allies Refuge or Operation Allies Welcome.

Two recent arrests were in October, including Asirullah Khalid-Khan, whose criminal history includes a conviction on a kidnapping charge and an arrest on a sexual assault–rape charge; and Mansour Walizada, whose criminal history includes two convictions of sexual battery and an arrest on a child fondling charge.

In August, ICE arrested Qesmat Din Zafran, whose criminal history includes a conviction on a charge of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor under 16. In July, ICE arrested Said Mohammad Tanai, whose criminal history includes a conviction for assault with intent to commit sex abuse.

In May, ICE took custody of Javid Ghamgeen, who was incarcerated with the Iowa Department of Corrections. His criminal history includes convictions of two counts of possession of methamphetamine, burglary, and aggravated assault against a public officer.

“When Joe Biden let 190,000 Afghan nationals in, the [administration] didn’t do criminal background checks or vet social media, someone just vouched for them and they took the words as truth,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “We are working around the clock to get these public safety threats out of our country.”