by Eric Lendrum
Despite nearly two years having passed since the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden Administration still has not fully vetted the over 88,000 Afghan refugees who were brought into the country to escape the Taliban’s rule.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, four Republican members of Congress sent a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In the letter, the four congressmen explain how DHS “encountered obstacles to screen, vet, and inspect all evacuees” during the botched withdrawal that ultimately left 13 American servicemen dead, as well as scores of Afghan civilians. The letter was signed by House Homeland Security Committee chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.), and was co-signed by Congressmen Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), and Austin Pfluger (R-Texas).
The letter goes on to note that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “lacked critical data to properly vet evacuees,” but ultimately allowed tens of thousands of them into the country regardless, thus creating a greater national security risk.
“Not only did the Biden administration’s catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan threaten our allies in the region by allowing the Taliban to return the country to a terrorist breeding ground,” said Congressman Green in a separate statement, “but the failure of DHS to properly vet or screen all Afghan nationals during the evacuation has put the U.S. homeland and our security interests at great risk.”
Congressmen Green and Pfluger have demanded that the Biden Administration hand over all documents relating to the matter as part of the House GOP’s broader investigation into the chaotic withdrawal, an operation that was widely condemned on the international stage for its poor planning, poor execution, and for allowing the Taliban to quickly seize power.
If the Biden Administration fails to provide the documents, then House Republicans can once again use the power of a subpoena to force compliance. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was already served a subpoena back in March after he failed to disclose classified information revealing that American officials were well aware of the likelihood of the Taliban retaking power upon the U.S. exit from the country.
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Eric Lendrum reports for American Greatness.
Photo “Afghan Refugees” by Hashoo Foundation USA. CC BY-SA 2.0.
