Who Vetted the Afghan Shooting Suspect? A Look at the Facts

A recent shooting in Washington, D. C. , has sparked a heated debate about immigration policies. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national who entered the U. S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome. This program was created by President Joe Biden to help Afghans who had worked with the U. S. government during the war in Afghanistan. Lakanwal was granted asylum in April 2024, under President Donald Trump's administration. This fact contradicts claims made by Trump appointees, who blamed Biden-era vetting failures for Lakanwal's admission. FBI Director Kash Patel and U. S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro asserted that Lakanwal was not properly vetted before entering the U. S. However, they did not provide any evidence to support this claim. Lakanwal had worked with U. S. government partners in Afghanistan and had no known criminal history. The vetting process for the Operation Allies Welcome program involved multiple U. S. agencies, including counter-terrorism and intelligence agencies. Despite this, critics argue that the rushed nature of the evacuations led to inefficient background checks. The shooting has reignited the political debate on immigration. Trump has used this incident to push for stricter immigration policies, including a re-examination of all Afghan nationals who entered the U. S. during the Biden administration. The Trump administration has also suspended all immigration applications by Afghan nationals, including those who had worked with the CIA. This incident has also brought back criticism of the chaotic U. S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The quick collapse of the Afghan government and the evacuation of thousands of Afghans have fueled concerns about potential terrorists entering the U. S.