2021 Afghan Visa Votes Resurface, Threatening GOP Candidates Ahead of 2026 Primaries

During the chaotic final weeks of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) urged Congress to help resettle Afghans who had assisted U.S. forces. His remarks have resurfaced after a recent shooting in Washington, D.C., allegedly carried out by an Afghan national, renewing scrutiny of votes and statements supporting Afghan evacuees and refugee programs.

The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, served alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan and entered the United States through Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era program set up to help vulnerable Afghans and those who aided U.S. forces resettle. Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder; officials have not publicly confirmed his motive.

Rivals and activists quickly replayed Barr’s 2021 comments, and several GOP primary campaigns are now invoking past votes on special immigrant visas (SIVs) and funding for evacuee programs to portray incumbents as out of step with conservative primary voters. Businessman Nate Morris, a Barr primary opponent, reposted Barr’s interview and argued that politicians should prioritize Americans over admitting large numbers of foreign nationals.

Why this matters politically

Republican strategists say the episode highlights a broader intraparty shift: even legally sanctioned evacuation and refugee measures have become hot-button issues for primary voters who prioritize strict immigration stances. “Any Republican running in a competitive primary who has a history of supporting bringing in Afghan refugees following the withdrawal is probably not sleeping well right now,” one top GOP strategist said on condition of anonymity.

The controversy reaches beyond Kentucky. Senators and governors facing competitive 2026 primaries who supported measures in 2021 to expedite or fund SIVs and related programs — or who publicly backed resettlement at the time — may face attacks from rivals in Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, for example, cosponsored a 2021 bill to speed visas for Afghan interpreters and later backed continuing resolutions that helped fund the evacuee program. Cornyn’s campaign spokesman pointed out that the suspect entered under the Biden-era parole and resettlement program, not necessarily under an SIV, and emphasized Cornyn’s warnings about parole programs and vetting gaps.

Other figures in the dispute include Rep. Byron Donalds in Florida and House members such as Reps. Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, Ashley Hinson, Randy Feenstra and Tom Tiffany — all of whom voted for an early July 2021 measure to expand SIV assistance and now face potential political fallout in their respective statewide contests.

Vetting, asylum and the shifting debate

Officials and former intelligence officers note that some Afghans who worked with U.S. agencies underwent extensive vetting, and many applied for asylum while awaiting SIV processing. Still, the shooting has prompted calls from former President Donald Trump and others for re-examination of Afghan arrivals and for tighter immigration controls.

Republican operatives acknowledge a nuance: many lawmakers backed visa assistance before the chaotic withdrawal fully played out. But primary voters often focus on simple narratives on “day of reckoning,” and challengers have already begun weaponizing past votes as evidence of poor judgment.

For now, the episode underscores how immigration and national security concerns — even those involving legally authorized evacuation and resettlement programs — have become potent and polarizing themes in Republican primaries heading into 2026.