Former Biden Officials Silent on Afghan Refugee Vetting After National Guard Attack

Former high-ranking officials from the Biden administration have failed to respond to inquiries about whether they stand by the vetting procedures used in “Operation Allies Welcome,” the Afghan resettlement program that brought the alleged National Guard attacker to the United States.

The Thanksgiving Eve attack, which left one West Virginia National Guard member dead and another seriously wounded, has reignited debate over the effectiveness of refugee screening protocols implemented during the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal. The incident gained renewed attention last week when House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., referred to it as an “unfortunate accident,” drawing sharp criticism from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Fox News Digital contacted numerous former administration officials directly involved in the Afghanistan withdrawal and refugee resettlement, but received no responses over the course of a week. Among those who did not reply were former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, former CENTCOM commander Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, and former National Security Adviser Jacob Sullivan.

The silence extends to former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who played a crucial role in coordinating the diplomatic aspects of the withdrawal, including refugee outflow from Kabul. Blinken advised Biden on handling the Taliban’s “Doha Agreement” that had been established during the Trump administration.

Former Pentagon chief Gen. Lloyd Austin III, who served as the top military bureaucrat during the withdrawal, also did not provide comment. Although a representative took a message, no response was received.

Following the recent attack, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services administrator Joe Edlow announced a comprehensive review of the green card system, specifically citing suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s case. His predecessor, Biden appointee Ur Jaddou, did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.

Other key officials who remained silent include former Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall, Harris’ national security adviser Phil Gordon, and Biden confidants Ronald Klain and Jeffrey Zients. Tracey Jacobson, who led the administration’s Afghanistan coordination task force responsible for processing and relocating Afghan allies, also did not respond. Jacobson currently serves as the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Bangladesh.

The administration’s handling of Afghan evacuees has been under increasing scrutiny since the attack. Operation Allies Welcome was established to help Afghan evacuees integrate into American communities following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. At the time, the administration faced criticism for the rapid evacuation that some argued didn’t allow for thorough vetting of all individuals brought to the United States.

Sullivan had previously defended the administration’s Afghanistan withdrawal strategy, telling CNN that “the strategic call President Biden made, looking back three years, history has judged well and will continue to judge well.” He argued that maintaining a presence in Afghanistan would have meant continued American casualties and reduced capacity to respond to other strategic challenges.

The FBI is reportedly investigating possible ties between the National Guard shooter and Tablighi Jamaat, described by some security experts as a potential “catalyst” for jihadist activity. This development has further fueled concerns about the effectiveness of the vetting processes used during the Afghanistan evacuation.

The continued silence from former officials comes as congressional Republicans launch investigations into the Biden administration’s immigration programs following the National Guard shooting, with particular focus on whether security protocols were adequately followed during the Afghan resettlement effort.