Sen. Grassley warns Biden admin of possible 'bad actors' entering U.S. via evacuation

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to the secretaries of State, Defense, and Homeland Security on Tuesday, warning them that potential "bad actors" may have entered the U.S. through the hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan and rushed vetting process.

Grassley noted in his letter that the screening process for refugee applicants usually takes months or years, but in the case of Afghan evacuees, was "conducted in only a matter of hours or days in the midst of a chaotic evacuation."

"While it is vitally important to evacuate Afghans who have genuinely assisted U.S. forces during the last 20 years, it is just as important that the vetting and screening process being utilized by our government effectively prevents bad actors from exploiting the chaos of recent weeks and gaining access to the United States," Grassley wrote.

He cited multiple reports regarding Afghan refugees entering the U.K., France, Qatar, Sweden, and Germany who were on no-fly lists, previously deported criminals, and/or had ties to terrorist organizations.

Grassley also mentioned a report from Bloomberg that said the U.S. was conducting security screenings while flights were airborne "and in temporary locations in third countries."

In his letter, the senator asked the heads of the State, Defense, and Homeland Security departments to explain the security screening process of the Afghan refugees.