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ICE Arrests Third Afghan Allegedly Linked to ISIS‑K in One Week, DHS Says

08:23 AM, 12/04/2025
ICE Arrests Third Afghan Allegedly Linked to ISIS‑K in One Week, DHS Says

ICE arrested Jaan Shah Safi in Waynesboro, Virginia, after DHS identified him as an alleged ISIS‑K supporter who entered the U.S. under the Operation Allies Welcome program on Sept. 8, 2021. His TPS application was later terminated when DHS ended TPS protections for Afghans. DHS described this as the third arrest in a week tied to Afghan arrivals and cited recent incidents including a Nov. 26 attack that killed a National Guard member and a Nov. 25 bomb-threat arrest in Fort Worth. Officials say the cases have prompted scrutiny of vetting procedures used during the resettlement effort.

Waynesboro, Va. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Jaan Shah Safi in Waynesboro, Virginia, after authorities identified him as an alleged supporter who provided material support to ISIS‑K, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said. Safi, who arrived in the United States under the Operation Allies Welcome resettlement program, was taken into custody on Wednesday.

According to DHS records, Safi entered the U.S. on Sept. 8, 2021, through Philadelphia. He filed for Temporary Protected Status (TPS); that application was later terminated when DHS ended TPS protections for Afghans.

"Today, our heroic ICE officers arrested Jaan Shah Safi, a terrorist who provided material support to ISIS‑K," the statement from DHS said. The release added that Safi was arrested miles from the nation’s capital and framed the arrest alongside other recent incidents involving arrivals from the same resettlement effort.

DHS described Safi’s arrest as the third involving Afghan nationals released into the U.S. under the Operation Allies Welcome program within a week. The department pointed to two recent cases connected to other arrivals:

  • Nov. 26: Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was admitted under Operation Allies Welcome, allegedly attacked two National Guard members near the White House in an ambush-style incident that killed one guard member.
  • Nov. 25: Mohammad Dawood Alokozay was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, after authorities said he posted a video indicating intent to build a bomb; he has been charged with making terroristic threats.

DHS officials have criticized the vetting process used during the original resettlement effort and said nearly 190,000 Afghan nationals were admitted through referrals the department considered insufficiently vetted. Following the change in administration in January, the incoming government paused Afghan refugee resettlement, citing national security concerns.

ICE said agents continue to investigate alleged terror-related activity linked to some arrivals under Operation Allies Welcome. Authorities characterized the recent arrests as part of a broader effort to identify and remove individuals who pose threats to public safety while officials review past procedures and current screening practices.

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