The Trump administration has pointed fingers at a Biden program for allowing an Afghan national suspected of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the U.S. on Sept. 8, 2021, through Operation Allies Welcome (OAW), according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed Lakanwal’s past collaboration with the U.S. government, including the CIA, in Kandahar.
Lakanwal applied for asylum during Biden’s presidency, and his approval came under the Trump administration in April. Following the shooting, Trump officials criticized the program for allegedly lacking proper security vetting for entrants.
Operation Allies Welcome was initiated by President Biden to assist Afghan allies before the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan amid Taliban control. The program targeted interpreters and translators who aided the U.S. during the war and feared Taliban retaliation.
Those arriving under OAW received two years of humanitarian parole, allowing temporary entry due to emergencies. They were required to seek asylum to stay in the U.S. Afghan nationals were processed at nine government-operated “safe havens” before resettlement by NGOs.
Over 190,000 Afghans resettled through OAW and the follow-up program Enduring Welcome. The vetting process involved biometric and biographic screenings of all Afghan arrivals before clearance for U.S. entry. However, concerns were raised by Republicans about potential security risks entering the U.S. alongside allies.
Reports highlighted issues with vetting procedures, including incomplete data for screening evacuees. Republican Senator Rob Portman criticized the lack of rigorous vetting, citing a potential threat to national security due to inadequate evacuation processes.
Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac, condemned the violence but emphasized extensive security vetting for Afghan immigrants and allies resettling in the U.S. He urged against generalizing the community based on isolated incidents.