WASHINGTON (THE THURSDAY TIMES) — U.S. immigration authorities have arrested an Afghan national with alleged links to ISIS-K who entered the country through President Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome initiative, according to a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security. Officials said the suspect, identified as Jaan Shah Safi, was taken into custody in Waynesboro, Virginia, several hours from the nation’s capital.
According to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Safi provided material support to ISIS-K and supplied weapons to his father, who is described as a militia commander in Afghanistan. Safi entered the United States on 8 September 2021 through Philadelphia under the Afghan relocation programme established after the fall of Kabul. He later sought Temporary Protected Status, which was terminated after Secretary Noem halted TPS for Afghan nationals.
Secretary Noem stated that the arrest reflects the consequences of what she described as inadequate vetting processes under President Biden. She accused the previous administration of admitting nearly 190,000 Afghans without proper security checks and warned that the case highlights a continuing national security risk.
The administration of President Donald Trump ended Afghan refugee resettlement and suspended entry of Afghan nationals in January, emphasising domestic security as its central priority. Safi’s arrest marks the third detention of an Afghan national with alleged terrorist affiliations in less than a week, deepening political scrutiny of Operation Allies Welcome.
On 26 November, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, another Afghan admitted under the programme, allegedly carried out an ambush-style attack on two National Guard members near the White House. A day earlier, authorities arrested Mohammad Dawood Alokozay in Texas after he reportedly posted a video on TikTok in which he claimed to be constructing an explosive device. He was charged with making terroristic threats.
Homeland Security officials said they are reviewing additional cases connected to the programme. The agency insists that public safety and national security remain its highest priorities as it continues its investigations.
