More than a dozen Republican senators asked the Biden administration Monday to “pause” the relocation of Afghan refugees to US military bases, except for those who have been fully vetted and hold Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) — documentation granted to those who assisted US-led NATO forces during the two-decade war against the Taliban.
The letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also called for the vetting of refugees to take place at “safe locations abroad” and for the resettlement of Afghans in the US to be halted until the Pentagon’s inspector general is sure “that DOD is appropriately managing and tracking evacuees”.
“The Biden Administration’s security vetting procedures to clear Afghans entering the country remain unclear and incomplete, and, unless changed, are insufficient to preserve the safety of the American homeland,” said the letter, which was led by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).
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