U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is demanding answers from the Department of Justice (DOJ), FBI, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding the vetting of Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, an Afghan national arrested for plotting an Election Day terrorist attack in 2024. Grassley, who has raised concerns about Afghan refugee vetting for years, is seeking details on how the agencies handled derogatory information flagged in Tawhedi’s immigration record.
Tawhedi, who has ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), was arrested on October 7, 2024. He arrived in the U.S. in 2021 as part of Operation Allies Refuge (OAR) and Operation Allies Welcome (OAW), two programs aimed at relocating Afghan evacuees.
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Grassley is asking DOJ, FBI, and DHS to clarify what steps were taken to investigate the derogatory information linked to Tawhedi and why it wasn’t acted on earlier.
Grassley also called on the DOJ’s Office of Inspector General to review the vetting and tracking procedures for Afghan evacuees admitted under the Biden administration’s relocation efforts. His oversight push comes amid ongoing concerns about potential security risks posed by insufficient vetting.
In his statements, Grassley emphasized his commitment to holding the agencies accountable, saying, “I won’t stop fighting to protect Americans and to pursue accountability.”
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Grassley has consistently criticized the Biden administration’s handling of Afghan refugee vetting, warning that lapses in the process could pose serious risks to national security.
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