GOP senators call for halt to Afghan resettlement over security concerns

More than a dozen Republican senators asked the Biden administration Monday to "Pause" the relocation of Afghan refugees to US military bases, except for those who have been fully vetted and hold Special Immigrant Visas - documentation granted to those who assisted US-led NATO forces during the two-decade war against the Taliban.

The letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also called for the vetting of refugees to take place at "Safe locations abroad" and for the resettlement of Afghans in the US to be halted until the Pentagon's inspector general is sure "That DOD is appropriately managing and tracking evacuees".

The Ernst letter suggests that the "Hastily developed" vetting process "Creates gaps in security and criminal vetting and risks our Nation's security." It notes that most of those who managed to get on evacuation flights out of Kabul "Did not complete the long-established interagency vetting processes," leaving military personnel to do the job on US soil.

The letter called on Department of Homeland Security to "Clarify exactly what actions will be taken" when a refugee is flagged up as a security risk.

"[W]e cannot release a potential terrorist into the United States, nor can we obligate our allies and partners who have aided American resettlement efforts to accept persons identified as security risks," reads the letter, which goes on to ask Mayorkas for a briefing on "How the United States will proceed with security vetting and resettlement."

" Without developing a sufficient plan and follow-on brief, the members signed below cannot in good conscience support or express any confidence in the Biden Administration's capacity or will to keep Americans safe, maintain trust with tried-and-true Afghan partners, or humanely aid vetted Afghan evacuees.

The letter was released days after Reuters reported that more than 700 Afghan evacuees have left the bases where they were being housed before the formal resettlement process could be completed.
 

https://nypost.com/2021/10/04/gop-senators-call-for-halt-to-afghan-resettlement-over-security-concerns/