by Staff Reporter | Dec 3, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The terroristic attacks and threats by Afghan nationals in recent weeks have renewed concerns about the vetting of those resettled in Arizona.
On the day before Thanksgiving last week, an Afghan national shot two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.; one of the two died, and the other remains in critical condition.
The shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, remains in custody. He entered the country in late 2021 with his wife and five children under Biden’s resettlement program, Operation Allies Welcome, following the botched Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021.
Volunteers who worked with Lakanwal’s family claimed in interviews with NPR that Lakanwal didn’t show signs of radicalization prior to the terrorist attack. Rather, they claimed Lakanwal showed signs of mental instability and struggles to adjust to life in the U.S.
These volunteers also revealed that Lakanwal would drive away from his Washington state residence for long stretches in the weeks leading up to his attack, traveling to other states without explanation given to those around him — including Arizona.
Similarly, sources told ABC News that Lakanwal’s mental health was in decline leading up to the attack. Lakanwal was allegedly stressed by family finances, since his work permit expired and he was unable to find steady work.
However, sources advised ABC News that Lakanwal was granted asylum in April of this year, which grants automatic work authorization, after applying last year.
Approval of Lakanwal’s asylum petition occurred on the basis of the previous administration’s vetting procedures, which have been in question from the start of the resettlement program.
Another Afghan citizen — Mohammad Dawood Alokozay residing in Fort Worth, Texas — was charged on Tuesday for terroristic threats. Alokozay threatened to commit a suicide bombing as part of a jihad against Americans.
Like Lakanwal, Alokazay passed allegedly thorough vetting procedures under the previous administration.
According to the archived Operation Allies Welcome webpage, the Department of Homeland Security deployed 400 personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard, and Secret Service to multiple locations abroad to conduct processing, screening, and vetting alongside other federal agencies.
Screening and vetting consisted of biometric and biographic screenings.
About 200,000 Afghans were granted asylum under the initial resettlement program, Operation Allies Welcome, and its successor, Operation Enduring Welcome. A little under 4,000 Afghan refugees have been brought into Arizona as part of the resettlement program since 2022, per the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program.
The Trump administration is reexamining these Afghan asylees following this latest terrorist attack.
Back in 2021, congressional leaders questioned the thoroughness of these procedures.
This resettlement program had red flags from the start.
Officials identified numerous incidents concerning Afghan men arriving at intake centers and claiming female children as their wives. These child brides reported being raped by these men and forced to marry them.
Congressman Andy Biggs asked about these incidents and others in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security. Biggs also addressed the claims of refugee status given to Afghan men with criminal records or past terrorist organization associations.
In January, less than a week after taking office, Vice President J.D. Vance told CBS News that the Biden administration hadn’t properly vetted those awarded refugee status.
“Now that we know we have vetting problems with a lot of these refugee programs, we absolutely cannot unleash thousands of unvetted people into our country,” said Vance.
Last October, two Afghan nationals were arrested for planning an Election Day terrorist attack inspired by ISIS. Abdullah Haji Zada and Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi; the latter individual was brought into the country days after the Biden administration withdrew from Afghanistan.
These individuals were also alleged to have been properly vetted.
President Trump paused migration from third-world countries following the terrorist attack. In the Sunday press gaggle aboard Air Force One, Trump said Americans don’t need or want these foreigners.
“We don’t want those people. Does that make sense?” said Trump. “You know why we don’t want them? Because many have been no good and they shouldn’t be in our country.”
The federal government spent over $14 billion on the Afghan resettlement program.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jul 1, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Carlos Munoz-Perez, an illegal alien, Mexican national, and pedophile sex-offender with prior convictions for illegal entry and unlawful sexual activity with a minor was apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents near the San Pedro River.
In a statement released to several social media platforms by Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) of the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector Sean McGoffin, the agency stated that Munoz-Perez was arrested on Saturday, June 22nd, and a records check of the suspect revealed his disturbing history.
“Agents conducted records checks on the subject and learned he had prior convictions for illegal entry and unlawful sexual activity with a minor,” McGoffin wrote. The Chief revealed, “He was sentenced to 12 years for Sexual Exploitation/Child-Prod Performance in 2011.”
According to the Tucson Sector of CBP, Munoz-Perez is facing charges for his illegal re-entry as a previously removed convicted felon. McGoffin wrote, “Thanks to the vigilance and determination of agents, this predator will not reach our communities and will not victimize more of our children.”
The Border Patrol is collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in its ongoing investigation and additional charges may be filed against him as applicable.
In a series of similar posts to X, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday, “While rioters and bad-faith politicians attempt to stop immigration enforcement in Los Angeles — @ICEgov continues to arrest criminal illegal aliens. Under @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem, law enforcement is committed to making America SAFE again.”
DHS shared information about twenty captured illegal alien criminals from the Los Angeles area described as the “Worst of the worst—LA Edition.” Seven of the criminals were sex offenders, five of them committed sex crimes against minors.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 30, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
U.S. Immigration and Border Enforcement Officers scored a major victory over cross-border drug smugglers in San Luis, Arizona, when they arrested an American citizen following a search of a suspicious vehicle. During the search, officers found over $1.3 million worth of cocaine bound for the streets of Phoenix and Tucson.
The incident occurred in the morning on Friday June 20th when the suspect, a 26-year-old male driving a pickup truck, attempted to enter via the dedicated SENTRI inspection lane from Mexico. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the SENTRI system allows for “expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers,” and requires, “all applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrollment.”
In a press release, Border Patrol stated that the driver, confirmed to be a U.S. citizen, was “referred for further examination after the primary officer detected abnormalities within the spare tire.” The additional scrutiny paid off when in a secondary inspection area, a CBP canine unit alerted officers to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.
In the extensive search that followed, CBP officers located and extracted fifty packages of cocaine hidden in the vehicle, including those hidden in the spare tire. The estimated street value of the seized narcotics was $1,317,580.
Chris Leon, Area Port Director for San Luis, praised the officer’s work in extreme conditions saying, “The tireless efforts of our officers and drive to protect our nation in these unrelenting conditions of 100 plus degree temperatures prevented these dangerous drugs from entering our streets and communities.”
The suspect, whose name has not been released, was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations, while his vehicle and the drugs inside were seized. According to CBP, “Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 20, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Near the Arizona-Mexico border, just inside Mexican territory, a joint operation between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Tucson Sector and Mexican authorities located and raided a cartel safe-house which stored military-grade machine-guns, ammunition, heavy ordinance, stolen vehicles, and drugs.
In a release to social media on Monday, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks described the May 23rd raid in cooperation with Mexican federal officers. Banks wrote in a post, sharing images of the seized weapons and drugs, “USBP agents in Tucson shared intel with the Government of Mexico (GoM) that led to a successful raid south of the border.” He added that the Mexican authorities seized “4 AK-47s, 3 mortar grenades, 3 stolen vehicles, 3,250 rounds of ammo, 62 magazines, 27 tactical vests, [and] 16 sacks of marijuana.”
Banks assessed the raid saying, “This joint effort dealt a serious blow to cartel operations—removing weapons, resources, and mobility from criminal hands.”
Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) of the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector Sean McGoffin commented on the raid as well, crediting the CBP’s Casa Grande International Liaison Unit for contributing to the raid in a statement posted to X. He wrote, “Government of Mexico officials acting on information from the Casa Grande Border Patrol station found and dismantled a cartel ‘Rip Crew’ in Mexico during a mirrored or parallel patrol just south of the border.
“Four rifles, tactical gear, a dodge truck, and ammunition were seized from two criminal operatives. These cartel bandit factions are known to victimize migrants near the border region.
“Historically, the exploitation of migrants by cartels is multi-faceted, by stealing from people that aim to illegally cross into the U.S, or by targeting other competing cartels and their human ‘Cargo’. Great job Casa Grande International Liaison Unit for getting info to our partners in Mexico.”
In a subsequent post to X, McGoffin again praised an International Liaison Unit (ILU), this time from the Sonoita Border Patrol Station, for “forging new alliances to combat organized crime in the #border region.” He explained that two agents from the unit “have fostered relationships with Government of Mexico officials from the Municipality of Santa Cruz, Sonora, Mexico, to increase law enforcement presence south of the border.”
The chief said, “The area south of #Sonoita, Arizona has been exploited by criminal organizations in the past due to its remoteness from other Mexican towns. The newly appointed Mexican officials of the area have pledged to increase patrols and collaboration with Border Patrol to ensure safety and security for the ranching communities on both sides of the border.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 6, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Secretary Kristi Noem has ordered the issuance of three new waivers to allow construction on 36 miles of new border wall in Arizona and New Mexico to begin. The largest stretch of border wall will be constructed at the Tucson Sonoita Project covering approximately 24.7 miles of the border.
Under the power of the waivers issued by Noem on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security is able to bypass environmental laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act in order to expeditiously construct physical barriers and roads. Waivers of this kind are authorized by Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.
According to a press release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the waivers will cover projects that were already funded under appropriations for Fiscal Year 2020 and 2021. In addition to the major stretch between Tucson and Sonoita, the waivers will cover approximately seven miles of the El Paso Sector’s Santa Teresa Secondary Wall Project, about 2.1 miles of the Tucson 10-6 Project, as well as allowing for the closure of several gaps in the El Paso and Yuma Sectors ranging in size from 40 feet up to a fifth of a mile, with seven prominent gaps in the Yuma Sector Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) Wall Project South of Gila Bend.
The full breakdown by project is:
- El Paso Sector Santa Teresa Secondary Wall Project (~7 miles)
- El Paso Sector 16-4 Wall Project Anapra (~1.3 miles)
- El Paso Sector 2 Wall Project & Port of Entry (POE) Gate (~0.2 mile & ~40 feet)
- Yuma Sector Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) Wall Project (7 gaps; ~40-240 feet)
- Tucson Sonoita Project (~24.7 miles)
- Tucson 10-4 Project (~0.2 miles)
- Tucson 10-6 Project (~2.1 miles)
DHS described the newly resumed projects by stating that they will “close critical gaps in the border wall and enhance border security operations in the U.S. Border Patrol’s El Paso, Tucson and Yuma Sectors.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
