U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have arrested an Afghan national, Jaan Shah Safi, who is accused of providing support to the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan (ISIS-K)
WASHINGTON, D.C. Safi, who entered the United States under the previous administration’s “Operation Allies Welcome” following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, was arrested today in Waynesboro, Virginia, according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The DHS statement alleges that Safi also provided weapons to his father, who is identified as a commander of a militia group in Afghanistan. He entered the U.S. on September 8, 2021, and was paroled on humanitarian grounds.
Escalating Security Concerns
The arrest comes amidst heightened scrutiny and political debate surrounding the vetting process for Afghan nationals resettled in the U.S.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated the arrest marks the third Afghan national terrorist detained in recent days who was brought into the country under the “Operation Allies Welcome” program.
- The announcement draws a connection between Safi’s arrest and the recent attack in Washington, D.C., where another Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly shot two National Guard members. Lakanwal also entered the U.S. in 2021.
- Another Afghan national, Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, was arrested earlier in the week in Texas for allegedly making bomb threats.
The DHS release criticizes the previous administration’s handling of the evacuation, stating it “let into our country nearly 190,000 unvetted Afghan aliens.
Administration Response
The current administration has taken action in the wake of the D.C. shooting, with President Trump announcing a re-examination of all Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. under the previous administration.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also indefinitely suspended the processing of all immigration requests for Afghan nationals, pending a full review of security and vetting protocols.9
Critics of the former administration’s program, including Secretary Noem, argue the influx of unvetted individuals has created a significant national security crisis that the current administration is working to address.
