The term "extreme vetting" from Trump's first immigration agenda emphasized the need for thorough background checks of immigrant visa applicants to identify potential threats like terrorism. The Biden administration previously abandoned this concept. However, a new and even more aggressive form of extreme vetting has emerged with Trump's executive order, "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats. " This order aims to enhance national security vetting across all immigration-related agencies. It stresses that no immigrant should be permitted entry into the U. S. without being thoroughly vetted, aiming to protect citizens from individuals who might engage in terrorism, threaten national security, or misuse immigration laws.
The new measures must address past failures in vetting processes, as highlighted by a database from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), which lists specific instances where individuals with harmful intentions gained entry into the U. S. despite warning signs. This "National Security Vetting Failures Database" features 50 cases of serious lapses in vetting, showing how government agencies missed clear opportunities to prevent dangerous individuals from entering the country. These failures span years, from 2008 to 2024, and underscore ongoing systemic issues in the vetting system that have persisted since the reforms initiated after the 9/11 attacks.
Trump's executive order calls for a restoration of prior vetting standards as of January 19, 2021. It directs prominent homeland security officials to establish consistent screening measures for all immigration applicants, especially from regions known to pose security risks. It also requires adjustments to visa issuance regulations to ensure national safety and security.
However, the CIS database indicates that significant changes are still needed in the vetting system. It identifies key agencies that have been particularly poor in their vetting duties, including U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the State Department. These agencies, along with others like the Department of Defense and Customs and Border Protection, have faced criticism for allowing entry to individuals involved in terrorism and other crimes.
Terrorism is the most common offense related to these vetting failures, with numerous cases showcasing individuals who managed to enter the U. S. despite red flags. One notable case is that of Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, an Afghan evacuee charged with a mass-casualty plot who had supposedly been vetted but was later found to have never been checked by any agency. Similarly, an Egyptian student charged with terrorism had showcased radical behaviors on social media that could have been identified during his vetting.
The CIS database serves as a reminder for both the public and government officials of the urgent need to address these failures in the immigration security screening process to prevent future threats from entering the country.
https://cis.org/Bensman/Decoding-Trumps-Border-Counterterrorism-Order-Part-2
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