A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report released on September 23 identified documentation and vetting errors in 40% of sampled asylum applications from Afghan nationals admitted under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome program. The review analyzed 678 asylum applications out of 13,682 adjudicated cases and found 303 missing aliases, 23 unresolved security checks, and 150+ additional documentation deficiencies, including two cases involving potential terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds.
The OIG report concluded that these deficiencies increased the risk that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may have missed information that could have rendered some applicants ineligible for asylum. Errors included unrecorded aliases, incomplete security checks, and missing Terrorism-Related Inadmissibility Grounds (TRIG) worksheets. One applicant had 124 aliases that were not documented in their file.
DHS Response and Policy Context
DHS stated in a press release that the report demonstrated the Biden administration had prioritized speed over thoroughness in processing asylum applications. The agency attributed this to a 2021 lawsuit settlement requiring USCIS to adjudicate 90% of asylum applications within 150 days, which DHS argued forced rushed reviews. The OIG report emphasized the importance of accurate record-keeping, noting that errors could have allowed ineligible individuals to enter the U.S.
High-Profile Cases and Ongoing Scrutiny
Operation Allies Welcome has faced renewed scrutiny following the arrests of several Afghan nationals admitted under the program. These include:
- An alleged ISIS-K supporter charged with terrorism-related offenses.
- An Afghan national convicted of indecent exposure to a minor.
- A case in November 2025 where an Afghan national admitted under the program was arrested for threatening to kill Americans.
- A December 2025 arrest of an ISIS-K member who entered the U.S. through the program.
DHS has also highlighted broader concerns about criminal activity among those resettled under the program, including charges of sexual battery, kidnapping, drug possession, hit-and-run, and lewd acts with a minor.
Scope and Scale of Operation Allies Welcome
Launched in August 2021 following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Operation Allies Welcome aimed to resettle approximately 97,000 Afghan nationals in the United States. The program provided temporary legal status, work authorization, and access to benefits while asylum applications were processed. Critics argue the 40% error rate in vetting undermines the program’s security assurances, while supporters contend the errors reflect the challenges of processing large numbers of applicants under tight deadlines.