Senate Republicans are launching an investigation into President Biden’s immigration parole programs following a tragic shooting involving National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
Senate Republicans are initiating an investigation into former President Joe Biden’s immigration parole programs, which they contend facilitated the entry of the alleged shooter in a recent incident involving the National Guard in Washington, D.C.
Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri will lead a hearing focused on the Biden administration’s parole policies, scheduled for December 16. This announcement follows the shooting of two National Guard members—U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who was wounded, and U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who tragically lost her life. The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national who entered the United States under Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome in 2021.
Operation Allies Welcome was initiated amid the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which ultimately led to the Taliban’s resurgence in the country. At that time, President Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to oversee the resettlement of “vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States,” according to an archived statement from the DHS.
Cornyn, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, expressed his concerns about the potential repercussions of the immigration policy. He stated, “Now those concerns have become reality, with deadly consequences.” He added, “There will be no greater stain on Joe Biden’s legacy than that of his failed immigration parole programs, which he abused time after time to welcome into the U.S. hundreds of thousands of unvetted illegal aliens and potential terrorists who hate our country and want to kill Americans.”
Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, has also been vocal about the Biden administration’s lack of vetting for evacuees since 2021. He referenced an email from a U.S. official present during the evacuation in Afghanistan, which indicated that he was instructed by Biden to “fill up the planes—even without vetting.” Hawley remarked, “And now their recklessness has opened the door to terrorism within our borders, including the deadly attack on our National Guardsman two weeks ago. There needs to be accountability.”
The upcoming hearing is also a response to a letter from several Senate Republicans, including Cornyn, directed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In the letter, they urged for a review and enhancement of vetting standards for Afghan nationals in light of the recent shooting incident in Washington, D.C.
As the investigation unfolds, it is clear that the implications of immigration policies during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan are under intense scrutiny, particularly in the wake of tragic events that have raised questions about national security and the vetting process for newcomers to the United States. The outcome of the hearing may have significant ramifications for future immigration policies and the Biden administration’s handling of such programs.
According to Fox News, the investigation reflects a growing concern among lawmakers regarding the safety and security of American citizens in light of recent events.