DHS Law Enforcement Arrests Afghan National Previously Convicted of Indecent Exposure to a Minor Who Entered U.S. Under Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome

Operation Allies Welcome let thousands of unvetted Afghan nationals, including terrorists, sexual predators, pedophiles, domestic abusers, and kidnappers into our country WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrested an Afghan national who was granted asylum under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) and later convicted of indecent exposure to a minor. Basir Ahmad Safi, who in 2021 was paroled into the United States under the Biden administration, was arrested in September 2023 by the Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff's Office and charged with lewd or lascivious exhibition, soliciting a child via computer, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, and child abuse. Safi was convicted of indecent exposure to a minor. “This unvetted Afghan pedophile was let into our country by the Biden administration. He should NEVER have been allowed into our country or given the opportunity to prey on innocent children. Operation Allies Welcome was a Biden-era parole program that let thousands of unvetted Afghan nationals including terrorists, sexual predators, pedophiles, domestic abusers, and kidnappers into our country,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Under President Trump’s leadership, DHS has been focused on identifying, arresting, and removing public safety threats like Basir Ahmad Safi from our country.” Safi was arrested on March 11 as part of a joint Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) investigation. At the time of his arrest, Safi’s status had been revoked, and he was unlawfully residing in the U.S. He will be held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody pending removal. The Biden administration relied on unvetted referrals to admit nearly 190,000 Afghan nationals into the U.S. Understanding this massive threat to American national security, the Trump administration halted Afghan refugee resettlement on January 20. President Trump and DHS suspended entry of Afghan nationals.