Nearly 40 Republican members of Congress have sent a letter to President Joe Biden outlining their concerns with the vetting process for Afghan refugees, questioning its effectiveness given the data available and the rapid pace of the evacuation.
The letter is spearheaded by Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, whose New Mexico district could see up to 20,000 refugees housed at Fort Bliss and Holloman Air Force Base. Other signers include Reps. Jim Banks and Tom Tiffany, both of whom have military bases in their districts containing refugees.
'We write to express our grave concern about the rushed and incomplete vetting of Afghan evacuees being brought to the United States,' an early draft of the letter, obtained by DailyMail.com, reads.
'Specifically, we are concerned that inadequate criminal and security background checks are being performed by the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of State on evacuees in their country of origin, and in other countries in which they have resided or to which they traveled before being brought to the United States,' the lawmakers write.
The letter will go to Biden either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning as more Republicans may sign on. Many GOP lawmakers have expressed concerns about the evacuation from Afghanistan.
Nearly 40 Republican members of Congress have sent a letter to President Joe Biden outlining their concerns with the vetting process for Afghan refugees - above refugees arrive at Dulles International Airport
Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, whose New Mexico district could see up to 20,000 refugees housed at Fort Bliss and Holloman Air Force Base, spear headed the letter
Herrell said the rapid pace of the vetting process raised concerns that some could slip through the cracks.
'They're able to do it in a matter of a few short weeks. It just rings, you know, an alarm bell because we understand that there's not that much data available so how are they actually able to ensure the criminal backgrounds,' she told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.
She said Afghan allies should be allowed into the U.S. but questioned whether the vetting process was thorough enough.
'There's some incredible people there but, you know, it only takes one, and that's what the greatest concern,' she added.
The letter cites briefings the lawmakers had with Department of Homeland Security officials,
