[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 117 (Tuesday, July 8, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4243-S4244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            AFGHAN EVACUEES

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, since 2021, I sounded the alarm about 
the former Biden administration's failure to vet Afghan evacuees. 
Instead of coming clean, the previous administration dismissed and 
failed to answer my oversight request.
  For years, the Biden administration hid from the American people 
known vulnerabilities in the vetting process that goes under the names 
of Operation Allies Welcome and Operation Allies Refuge. The Department 
of Homeland Security inspector general eventually exposed those vetting 
failures, and, just last month, so too did the Department of Justice 
inspector general. Both inspectors general substantiated vetting 
failures that I have raised for years.
  Recently, I was informed by the Director of National Intelligence 
Tulsi Gabbard of new information. My office has been told that of the 
more than 100,000 Afghan evacuees, as of August 2022, 1.6 percent had 
links to terrorism or other derogatory information. It happens that 
that is over 1,600 people who, at that time, posed a potential threat 
to our homeland and our people.
  At that time, all 1,600 were located in the United States. Now, 
naturally, since then, some may have left, some may have been deported, 
and it is unclear who remains.
  Based on past briefings provided by the FBI, it is clear they began 
to investigate these evacuees years ago. I strongly urge the current 
FBI and intelligence community leadership to aggressively investigate 
those evacuees who require it and bring these matters to a close.
  I am also calling on the Trump administration to ensure that its 
findings are declassified to the fullest extent possible. Why? Because 
the public has a right to be made aware--in fact, fully aware--of the 
Biden administration's failure to vet Afghan evacuees.
  Transparency brings accountability, and in this case, that 
transparency is important because it is a matter of public safety.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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