In a concerning development for US national security, a second Afghan national brought to America under the Biden administration's Operation Allies Welcome has been arrested on serious terrorism-related charges. This incident comes merely days after a separate shooting in Washington DC involving another Afghan evacuee, raising significant questions about the vetting procedures of the resettlement program.
The Fort Worth Bomb Threat Case
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Mohammad Dawood Alokozay was taken into custody on Saturday after allegedly posting a disturbing TikTok video. The video reportedly showed him constructing what appeared to be a bomb while specifically naming the Fort Worth area in Texas as his intended target.
Court records confirm that Alokozay has been charged at the state level with making a terroristic threat. The suspect entered the United States through Operation Allies Welcome on September 7, 2022, and was admitted as a lawful permanent resident. Following his arrest, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued a detainer request.
Texas authorities collaborated with the FBI through a Joint Terrorism Task Force to detain Alokozay on Tuesday. The arrest demonstrates ongoing concerns about potential security threats among Afghan evacuees.
Deadly DC Shooting Preceded Arrest
Alokozay's arrest occurred just one day after a separate violent incident in Washington DC involving another Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal. The suspect is accused of shooting two National Guard soldiers near the White House, resulting in one fatality and leaving the other in critical condition.
Investigators revealed that Lakanwal also arrived in the US under Operation Allies Welcome. He resided in Washington state and had successfully applied for asylum in December last year, receiving approval in April. Despite having no known criminal history before the attack, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that Lakanwal had previously worked with US Government agencies, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar.
Operation Allies Welcome Under Scrutiny
These back-to-back incidents have intensified scrutiny of Operation Allies Welcome, the resettlement program launched after the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 when the Taliban took control. A report from the DHS Inspector General last year identified serious data errors within the program, noting that some arrivals were issued multiple identification numbers or had names recorded incorrectly.
The review warned that such administrative problems made it significantly harder to track biographic or criminal history data. Additionally, the report highlighted that DHS lacked a clear system to monitor when parole for evacuees expired, creating potential security gaps.
In response to the DC shooting, President Trump announced his administration would re-examine all Afghans who entered the country during Biden's presidency. The President characterized the attack as evidence of lax migration policies and announced a sweeping freeze on immigration.
All immigration requests from Afghan nationals have been suspended indefinitely, and the US has paused issuing visas to individuals traveling on Afghan passports. The administration has also ordered a comprehensive pause on immigration from what it categorizes as Third World countries, including several nations in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
These security incidents and subsequent policy changes mark a significant turning point in US immigration policy and raise important questions about the balance between humanitarian resettlement efforts and national security protections.
