The Department of Homeland Security flagged 44 Afghan evacuees as possible national security risks during the past two weeks, a new report revealed on Friday, as the agency has faced repeated questions about its vetting process.
Of the more than 60,000 evacuees who have arrived on U.S. soil since Aug. 17, DHS vetting records reviewed by The Washington Post show 13 Afghans remain in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody awaiting additional screening, which includes FBI interviews.
Another 15 evacuees have been turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sent back to transit sites in Europe or the Middle East, and some were approved for release after additional review.
There are 16 Afghans who have not been cleared to travel and remain overseas at the transit sites called 'lily pads.'
The refugees were flagged because they had suspected associations with terrorists, or their phones and electronic devices contained information that raised concern.
The Department of Homeland Security flagged 44 Afghan evacuees as possible national security risks during the past two weeks, a new report revealed - above refugee families arrive at Dulles International Airport
Refugees are moved to various military bases across the country - above U.S. Northern Command released photos of refugees at Holloman Air Base
Refugees are landing at Dulles International Airport in Virginia (above) and Philadelphia International Airport - two designated landing sites in the U.S.
Immigration officials are checking the refugees when they land at Dulles International Airport in Virginia and Philadelphia International Airport - two designated landing sites.
From there, refugees are dispersed to eight different military bases around the country.
Additionally, two Afghan nationals who were previously deported and returned as evacuees are in ICE custody in Virginia. Both were deported after felony convictions: one for a 2010 sexual assault and the other for an armed robbery in 2011, sources to the Post.
Republican lawmakers have repeatedly expressed concern about the rushed pace of the vetting process as Afghan refugees were quickly evacuated as the Taliban took over and Americans left.
The administration pointed out that the refugees go through vetting at transit sites in other countries - such as Qatar or Germany.
'We're not going to allow flights that have hundreds of people who don't know who they are, who haven't been security protocol through security protocols where we haven't seen the manifest to land on US military basis,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at her briefing on Wednesday.
Nearly 40 Republican members of Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden this week 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
