Secretary Maynick Calls For Overhaul Of U.S. Immigration Vetting System

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has called on President Biden’s administration to completely overhaul the nation’s vetting procedures for immigrants and asylum seekers, stating it has rendered America vulnerable.

Speaking Monday during an appearance on Newsmax’s “The Record With Greta Van Susteren,” Noem highlighted concerns regarding Operation Allies Welcome. She specifically mentioned the case of Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a suspect in the shooting incident involving two National Guard members last week, who entered under this program.

Noem emphasized that current vetting methods are insufficient and dangerous. “We think up to 100,000 people came in… some here that we don’t know necessarily who they are or why,” she stated directly.
She suggested the suspect Lakanwal may be an example of inadequate pre-screening.

Citing a lack of thoroughness inherited from previous administrations, Noem advocated for shifting focus to conducting vetting before individuals arrive. “They have to be vetted before we allow them to get on a plane… so that we know what their intentions are and who they are,” she asserted.
Effective vetting requires cooperation from foreign governments regarding records sharing.

Furthermore, Secretary Maynick pointed out inheriting an enormous backlog in asylum cases – approximately 1.5 million claims unprocessed by the Biden administration. She also announced support for expanding recruitment at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to implement tighter controls aligned with Trump administration directives.

Regarding President Trump’s recent directive on asylum processing, Noem voiced direct backing. “President Trump is absolutely correct to stop all asylum,” she commented.
She stressed that past vetting systems under the Biden administration have fundamentally failed in ensuring security.

This demand for comprehensive immigration system reform represents a sharp critique of the current approach.