Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) was a United States government program established in 2021 to facilitate the entry and resettlement of Afghan nationals following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. The program has recently drawn attention after an individual who entered the U.S. through OAW in 2021 was identified as a suspect in a shooting incident in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. The individual's motives remain undetermined.
Establishment of Operation Allies Welcome
The program's establishment followed the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021. This event led to mass evacuations from the Hamid Karzai International Airport as thousands of Afghans sought to leave the country, with fatalities occurring among crowds at the airport during this period.
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which concluded during President Joe Biden's term, originated from a 2020 agreement between the Trump administration and the Taliban. On August 31, 2021, President Biden announced the conclusion of the war and affirmed the U.S. commitment to assist Afghans deemed at risk. Two days prior, he had directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to lead and coordinate federal efforts to support vulnerable Afghans, particularly those who had collaborated with U.S. forces over the preceding two decades, in their resettlement in the United States.
These efforts were formalized as Operation Allies Welcome (OAW). The program enabled Afghans to enter the U.S. on a two-year parole status, without permanent immigration status, with the expectation that they would subsequently apply for other immigration pathways, such as asylum. DHS reported that approximately 40% of individuals admitted under OAW qualified for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) based on their assistance to the U.S. government or their status as family members of such individuals.
OAW operated for approximately one year before transitioning to "Operation Enduring Welcome." Collectively, these programs facilitated the resettlement of nearly 200,000 Afghans in the U.S.
Vetting Procedures
DHS stated that Afghans entering the U.S. through OAW underwent extensive vetting to mitigate national security risks. This process involved approximately 400 personnel from various U.S. agencies who conducted biometric and biographic screenings. DHS further specified that this included reviewing fingerprints, photographs, and other data for each Afghan prior to their authorization for U.S. travel. Upon arrival in the U.S., individuals underwent additional processing at U.S. military installations before entering communities.
The vetting process has drawn criticism, with some Republican lawmakers questioning its thoroughness. A 2024 report by the DHS Office of Inspector General identified certain data inaccuracies within the files of some Afghans who participated in the program.
A separate Department of Justice report released in June of this year examined the FBI's role in OAW. The FBI indicated that the urgent nature of the Afghan evacuation necessitated deviations from standard security assessment procedures, potentially increasing the risk of unauthorized individuals exploiting the expedited process. The report noted that 55 individuals evacuated under OAW were later identified on terrorism watch lists. However, it generally concluded that the FBI successfully identified potential threats in most cases, and the majority of evacuees were not considered security risks.
Current Status and Developments
Following the recent shooting incident, former President Donald Trump publicly criticized OAW on social media, advocating for a re-examination of all Afghan entries under the Biden administration and the removal of individuals deemed not to benefit the country. Former CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated that the Biden administration justified the alleged shooter's entry in September 2021 based on prior work with the U.S. Government, including the CIA.
Subsequent to the shootings, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a halt to processing immigration applications from Afghan nationals.
Globally, over 40,000 Afghans are actively seeking resettlement in the U.S., with more than 10,000 having received U.S. government approval for relocation. Veterans organizations have called on the administration to support Afghans who served alongside U.S. forces during the conflict.