Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that authorities suspect the shooter who attacked National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., last week may have been radicalized after arriving in the United States. The alleged gunman, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is accused of firing at two National Guard members on Wednesday afternoon.

Lakanwal, an Afghan national, worked with the CIA during the U.S. war in Afghanistan. He came to the U.S. after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021 and was granted asylum in April. Noem explained that Lakanwal was brought to the U.S. through Operation Allies Welcome, initiated by the Biden administration. She expressed concerns about the vetting process, stating, "He was brought into the country by the Biden administration through Operation Allies Welcome. And then, maybe vetted after that, but not done well, based on what the guidelines were put forward by President Biden."

During an interview, Noem was questioned about the vetting process that occurred under the Trump administration, which was in office when Lakanwal was granted asylum. She clarified that the information used for vetting was collected by the previous administration. "All the information that was gathered on that vetting process was gathered under the Biden administration," she said.

Noem emphasized that the responsibility for the vetting process lies with the Biden administration, stating, "The processes put in place were put in place using information that was gathered during the application process. It happened under Joe Biden, and that has been completely fixed, and new metrics and new processes have been added under President Trump."

However, John Cohen, a former Homeland Security undersecretary for intelligence, countered Noem's claims. He stated that individuals arriving under Operation Allies Welcome were vetted against both classified and unclassified intelligence. They also submitted biographical and biometric data as part of the vetting process.

Cohen acknowledged that while there were delays in vetting, individuals had their information collected at processing locations. Sam Aronson, a former State Department official, added that extensive vetting took place at third-country sites where Afghan refugees spent time before entering the U.S.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen also challenged Noem's assertions regarding the vetting process. He stated, "We should always review our vetting, but in this case, there's no evidence that there was something that escaped the vetting." Van Hollen criticized the Trump administration's decision to pause all asylum applications following the shooting, calling it "collective punishment" for a group of individuals who assisted the U.S. in its fight against the Taliban.

The shooting incident occurred near the White House, resulting in the death of Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and leaving Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, hospitalized. Lakanwal was shot by a National Guard member and is also receiving medical treatment. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that Lakanwal faces murder charges.

In response to the shooting, the White House has implemented new immigration policies, including a directive for a thorough reexamination of green card cases involving nationals from certain countries. This directive was issued following the shooting incident and reflects ongoing concerns about national security and vetting processes for asylum seekers.