WASHINGTON: An Afghan national was arrested by US authorities in Waynesboro, Virginia, who is accused of providing material support to the terrorist banned group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorosan (ISIS-K).
Kristi Noem, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), made the announcement that HSI agents from ICE arrested Jaan Shah Safi, a citizen who is a suspect in the facilitation of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorosan (ISIS-K). Besides, Safi is charged with the provision of firearms to his father, who is a leader of a militia faction.
Safi, who arrived in the United States on September 8 2021 through President Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome had submitted a request, for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). His request was subsequently revoked after Secretary Noem discontinued TPS for Afghans. On December 3 2025 ICE, directed by President Trump and Secretary Noem carried out the detention.
Secretary Noem declared, “Today our brave ICE agents apprehended Jaan Shah Safi, a terrorist who supplied material assistance to ISIS-K. The Biden administration admitted this terrorist into the U.S. through the Operation Allies Welcome initiative. This terrorist was detained miles from our country’s capital, where National Guard personnel Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe were recently shot by another unchecked Afghan terrorist.”
She added that the Biden administration allowed nearly 190,000 unvetted Afghan nationals into the U.S., creating what she described as “one of the worst national security crises in American history.”
She emphasized that President Trump has been working since January 20 to address the issue, halting Afghan refugee resettlement and suspending Afghan entry to protect American citizens.
Another Afghan national arrested in Texas over terrorism allegations
U.S. media reported that an Afghan national named Mohammad Dawood Alokozai was apprehended by the Texas Department of Public Safety along with the FBI. Alokozai is accused of sending a video message in which he claimed that he was making a bomb to target Fort Worth area in Texas.
The media reports also mention that Alokozai came to the U.S. under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome. The video in which he made threats is reported to have been located only two days after the shooting at the White House, so the FBI and Texas officials didn’t waste any time in going to arrest him.
This detention highlights the difficulties that police have in anticipating and stopping threats that come from the domestic side, in addition to the problem of the potential involvement of the people who have recently arrived in the U.S. as refugees or under some special program.
Washington shooter identified as Afghan national near White House attack
The person who opened fire near the White House has been identified by the police as an Afghan national, after a targeted attack in which two National Guard members were killed happened just a few blocks from the White House. The security has been increased in the locality as the federal authorities are looking into the reason of the incident.
According to U.S. media, the shooter has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakhanwal, an Afghan-born illegal immigrant who entered the United States in 2021 under the Biden administration.
It has been confirmed by the authorities that two members of the National Guard were shot and killed near the White House in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Media sources reveal that the law enforcement officials came to the scene quickly and with great power. The police have stated that the suspect was apprehended and currently, he is under questioning.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Lewot announced that the administration is closely watching the situation and that President Trump has been informed about the incident. After the shooting, the White House was temporarily closed. The White House vicinity was also sealed off. Police instructed the public to avoid I Street and the adjacent area.
The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security declared that the officials are working hand in hand with the law enforcement to derive more details about the incident.
President Trump was the first to condemn the attack and labelled the shooter an “animal.” Moreover, he promised that the culprit would face punishment.
