A former CIA partner from Afghanistan who entered the U.S. under Joe Biden’s chaotic withdrawal has been charged with murder after shooting two National Guard members near the White House, exposing catastrophic failures in America’s refugee vetting system.
Story Snapshot
- Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal shot two National Guard members, killing Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20.
- Homeland Security Secretary Noem claims the suspect was “radicalized since he’s been here in this country.”
- The Biden administration’s rushed vetting process failed to prevent tragedy despite the suspect’s CIA connections.
- The Trump administration immediately paused all asylum applications and ordered a comprehensive review of immigration.
Biden’s Vetting Failures Come Home to Roost
Rahmanullah Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome, following Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Despite working with U.S. forces and the CIA in Kandahar until 2021, the 25-year-old Afghan national became radicalized on American soil and opened fire on National Guard members stationed near the White House.
The attack killed 20-year-old Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and left Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, hospitalized with serious injuries.
National Guard shooting suspect "radicalized since he's been here in this country," Noem claimshttps://t.co/kFxg8Wzyv5
— Minionz At Work (@Minionz_At_Work) November 30, 2025
Rushed Immigration Policies Enable Domestic Terror
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed Sunday that Lakanwal’s radicalization occurred through “connections in his home community and state” after arriving in America.
The Biden administration’s hurried approach to Afghan refugee resettlement prioritized speed over security, checking only “a few names and a few data points” according to Noem.
This superficial vetting process directly contradicts the comprehensive security screening that should protect American citizens from foreign threats infiltrating our homeland through humanitarian programs.
Trump Administration Takes Decisive Action
President Trump immediately responded to this security breach by ordering a pause on all asylum applications and implementing enhanced vetting procedures.
The new protocols include biometric information collection, social media monitoring, communications analysis, and comprehensive contact verification – measures that the Biden administration neglected.
Additionally, Trump directed a “full scale, rigorous reexamination” of green card cases involving nationals from 19 countries previously flagged for security concerns, demonstrating the proactive leadership needed to protect American lives.
Former Obama Official Defends Failed System
Samantha Vinograd, an Obama administration counterterrorism official, defended the existing vetting system despite its obvious failure to prevent this tragedy.
She claimed the system cannot predict future violence from individuals without derogatory information, essentially admitting the process is inadequate for protecting Americans.
This defensive stance ignores the fundamental reality that allowing mass entry of refugees without proper community integration and monitoring creates dangerous security vulnerabilities that put American servicemembers and civilians at risk.
