The truth is finally coming out about what really happened during Joe Biden’s disastrous 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. As many warned at the time, the rush to evacuate thousands of Afghans into the United States was filled with holes, and now, the American people are paying the price. Thanks to brave efforts by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security under strong new leadership, we are now seeing arrests of some of the “worst of the worst” — Afghan evacuees who never should have set foot on American soil.

These are not just minor criminals. We are talking about people with long rap sheets, including sexual assault, child abuse, drug crimes, and even terrorism. One evacuee allegedly shot two members of the West Virginia National Guard, killing one. Another was arrested in a terror plot in Newark, Delaware. These are the kinds of people who slipped into our country when Biden threw open the gates without checking who was coming through.

Let’s be clear: America is a land of freedom and opportunity, but it is also a land of laws. We welcome those who come here legally, who love our country, and want to contribute to it. But we do not — and must not — open our doors to criminals, predators, or would-be terrorists.

Consider some of the names in the recent ICE roundup. Qesmat Din Zafran, arrested for lewd acts with a minor. Mansour Walizada, charged with sexual battery and child fondling. Mohammad Tabesh Rasoli, with a hit-and-run conviction that seriously injured a pedestrian. These are not small offenses. These are dangerous individuals who should never have been allowed into our neighborhoods.

And it gets worse. One man, Jaan Shah Safi, was arrested in Virginia for allegedly supporting ISIS-K — the same terror group responsible for killing American service members during the Kabul airport bombing. Another, Luqmaan Khan, a student at the University of Delaware, was caught with weapons and a notebook full of attack plans. How many more like them are out there?

This is what happens when you put politics ahead of national security. When President Biden ordered that hasty evacuation, his administration took a “trust without verification” approach. That’s not immigration policy — that’s negligence. And the consequences are now on full display.

Thankfully, under President Trump’s leadership and with strong conservatives like Secretary Kristi Noem at DHS, things are changing. ICE and DHS are going full throttle, identifying and arresting criminals who slipped through the cracks. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin made it clear: no more free passes for dangerous people who abused our broken system.

Every American deserves to feel safe in their home, in their neighborhood, and in their community. You cannot have that safety if your government is letting criminals walk right in. Immigration must be done carefully, with full background checks, and with America’s interests put first.

This is not about race, religion, or country of origin. It is about protecting the rights and safety of the American people. We have laws for a reason. We have borders for a reason. And we have a Constitution that demands our leaders put America first.

The Biden-era policies were reckless and dangerous. Now, we’re seeing the damage they caused. It is going to take time to clean up this mess, but the work has already begun. We must remain vigilant, support law enforcement, and never again allow radical globalist policies to override our national security.

America is not the world’s refugee camp. It is a sovereign nation with a duty to protect its citizens first. Let’s keep it that way.