Americans deserve straight answers about who was allowed into our country during the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan, and recent watchdog reports make clear those answers have been sorely lacking. The Department of Homeland Security’s own inspector general found that critical data was missing or inaccurate, and that U.S. Customs and Border Protection often processed evacuees without full vetting — a breakdown that could have put communities at risk.
The scope of the admission program was massive: tens of thousands of Afghans were paroled into the United States under Operation Allies Welcome, and congressional oversight has repeatedly warned that there was no workable plan to remove or fully track that population. Lawmakers and watchdogs detailed fragmented systems, mismatched case referral rules between agencies, and rampant data errors that prevented timely identification of people with derogatory information.
A separate audit from the Justice Department’s inspector general delivered the alarm bell many of us feared: dozens of evacuees either matched or were later added to the federal terrorist watchlist, and some problematic individuals were only identified after they were already inside the country. That report singled out at least 55 Afghan evacuees who hit terrorism databases, and it confirmed the very real consequences of rushed, incomplete screening during the evacuation.
The consequences of these systemic failures have not been theoretical. Recent violent incidents involving evacuees have rightly reignited public outrage and demands for accountability, underscoring that sloppy policy has human costs for American families and our servicemembers. Lawmakers have pointed to specific arrests and plots tied to individuals who slipped through the cracks, driving the call for urgent reforms.
This was preventable. Conservative critics have insisted for years that evacuation logistics must never trump national security, yet the Biden administration prioritized speed over safeguards and failed to ensure robust, interagency vetting systems were in place before admitting large numbers of parolees. Congress has repeatedly subpoenaed documents and pressed for transparency precisely because Americans cannot tolerate half-measures on homeland security.
Fixing this mess requires practical, enforceable steps: restore full, mandatory checks against Department of Defense tactical databases and the Terrorist Screening Center before parole or resettlement; synchronize data systems between DHS, FBI, and USCIS; and create clear removal pathways for parolees who are confirmed security risks. These are common-sense measures that protect both national security and the integrity of America’s immigration system.
At the end of the day, Americans expect their government to put citizens first — not to gamble with national safety for the sake of a photo op. Republicans, veterans, and honest watchdogs will keep pushing until there are real answers, real reforms, and real accountability so that no future evacuation repeats these dangerous mistakes. The safety of our neighborhoods and the honor of those who served alongside Afghan allies demand nothing less.
