Noem Says Biden’s Afghan Exit Led to Lakanwal Shooting Case
By News World 369 | December 1, 2025
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the responsibility for allowing Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal into the country lies with the Biden administration. Her comments came after two National Guard members were shot in Washington, D.C., last week, raising new questions about post-withdrawal screening from the Afghanistan evacuation period.
Noem Says Vetting Collapsed After Kabul Fell
In separate Sunday interviews, Noem said the rushed exit from Afghanistan in 2021 left the United States without the tools needed to verify evacuee identities. She argued that once the Afghan government collapsed, American officials no longer had access to background records, service documents or biometric confirmation systems. According to her, these gaps made proper screening impossible.
Noem said Operation Allies Welcome brought Lakanwal into the United States during that period. She claimed that his initial arrival involved limited screening and that later reviews failed to satisfy the administration’s own guidelines. She cautioned that admitting people from unstable regions without verified identity records poses ongoing risks.
Noem Contrasts Biden and Trump Policies
Noem said the current procedures involve deeper checks, including reviews of digital activity and expanded biometric collection. She argued that these steps were not in place during the Afghanistan withdrawal and that Lakanwal’s processing took place entirely under President Biden’s direction. In her view, a secure and reliable system must confirm a person’s identity before they enter the country.
Related statements this week suggested that Lakanwal may have been influenced after his arrival in the United States. Officials continue to review his background and circumstances leading up to the incident.
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