Imagine boarding a plane to a new country, no questions asked, while national security hangs in the balance. That’s the unsettling reality of the Biden administration’s rushed Afghan resettlement program in 2021, which has come under fire after a violent incident involving a resettled Afghan national.
Breitbart reported that in 2021, the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan led to Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration initiative that rapidly resettled tens of thousands of Afghan nationals in American communities, overseen by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Early in the process, as thousands were flown in weekly, concerns emerged about the vetting procedures—or lack thereof. An email from a U.S. diplomat during the withdrawal revealed former President Biden’s directive to prioritize speed over scrutiny, allowing anyone with basic ID to board evacuation flights if they fit broad categories like families or those deemed at risk.
The instruction to “err on the side of excess” meant planes were filled, often bypassing standard refugee protocols.
That same year, in a Senate hearing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted the obvious with a shrug of candor. “Before they got on their airplanes to leave Kabul? Certainly not, most of them were not,” Blinken testified, confirming that thousands likely arrived without proper vetting. Well, that’s comforting—national security treated like a game of airport roulette.
Not to be outdone, DHS Secretary Mayorkas doubled down on the admission during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in November 2021. “We are not conducting in-person, refugee interviews of 100 percent individuals,” Mayorkas stated plainly. If that doesn’t raise eyebrows about who’s walking among us, what will?
The policy’s fallout wasn’t just theoretical—it became painfully real with the case of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who arrived via Operation Allies Welcome.
Recently, Lakanwal allegedly opened fire on two National Guardsmen, leaving them in critical condition while reportedly shouting “Allahu Akbar,” according to law enforcement. This tragedy has reignited scrutiny over a resettlement program that seemed to value speed over safety.
Let’s rewind to the diplomat’s email from October 2021, which painted a picture of chaos at the Kabul airport. Families, women, and children were ushered through with minimal checks, simply to fill seats on outgoing flights. It’s hard not to wonder if compassion, while noble, was weaponized into recklessness.
The Biden administration’s directive was clear: get people out, numbers be damned. Total inflow to the U.S. exceeded available seats, a deliberate choice to prioritize evacuation over vetting rigor. One can’t help but ask—did anyone consider the long-term cost of such haste?
Operation Allies Welcome was sold as a humanitarian triumph, resettling tens of thousands in American towns. But when vetting takes a backseat, as Blinken and Mayorkas admitted, the risks aren’t just hypothetical—they’re hospital beds and grieving families. It’s a bitter pill when good intentions pave the way to harm.
Critics of the program aren’t dismissing the plight of Afghans fleeing danger; empathy for their struggle is real. Yet, there’s a line between rescue and responsibility, and skipping in-person interviews for everyone, as Mayorkas confirmed, feels like a gamble with American safety. Surely, there’s a middle ground that doesn’t leave Guardsmen in critical condition.
The Lakanwal incident isn’t just a headline—it’s a warning. When policies prioritize optics over due diligence, the consequences can be devastating for those on the front lines. It’s a stark reminder that border security isn’t a partisan talking point; it’s a necessity.
Conservatives have long argued that unchecked immigration policies—however well-meaning—can backfire spectacularly. This case, tied to a program that even its architects admit was flawed, bolsters the call for stricter oversight. Compassion shouldn’t mean cutting corners that put lives at risk.
Looking at the broader picture, Operation Allies Welcome reflects a troubling trend of progressive agendas rushing past practical safeguards. It’s not about turning away the desperate; it’s about ensuring those who enter are who they claim to be. A little skepticism in policy-making could save a lot of heartache.
