The Department of Homeland Security has flagged nearly four dozen Afghan evacuees as potential national-security threats as the government vets tens of thousands for resettlement in the United States, according to The Washington Post.
Of the more than 60,000 Afghan evacuees who have already arrived to the United States since August 17, 44 have been cited as risks, the newspaper said, citing DHS documents it has reviewed.
The Washington Post said that 13 Afghans remain in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody awaiting additional screening and review procedures, including interviews with FBI and counterterrorism teams.
Another 15 Afghan evacuees who were considered security concerns have been turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sent back to transit sites in Europe or the Middle East, or in some cases approved for release after additional review.
There are 16 Afghans on the DHS lists who have not been cleared to travel and remain overseas at the transit sites U.S. officials call “lily pads.”
The militant Taliban sacked Kabul last month as the United States withdrew its armed forces from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.
The quick defeat of the U.S.-backed government forces pushed the Biden administration to evacuate thousands of Afghan citizens who collaborated with NATO forces amid fear for their safety.
Report: 44 Afghans Evacuated To U.S. Flagged As Potential Security Risks
Evacuees from Afghanistan at the U.S. air base in Ramstein, Germany, on August 30.