Republicans demand answers on alleged Election Day terrorist plot by Afghan nationals

In Oklahoma, two Afghan nationals were arrested for allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on Election Day. The arrests occurred just weeks before the November 5 election and involved Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, who entered the U.S. on a special immigrant visa shortly after the withdrawal from Afghanistan in September 2021. Tawhedi was accused of promoting ISIS propaganda, funding linked charities, and preparing for violent action. He allegedly conspired with a juvenile co-conspirator, raising serious concerns about the vetting process employed by the Department of Homeland Security under the Biden-Harris administration. Following these events, Senate Republicans, led by Rand Paul, urged DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for detailed information regarding the individuals' immigration statuses and backgrounds. This incident has drawn wider scrutiny toward security processes in the U.S., indicating possible vulnerabilities that may allow individuals with ties to terrorist organizations to enter the country and raise threats to public safety. The Republicans highlighted that such lapses could undermine the effectiveness of national homeland security policy, stressing the necessity for more robust screening measures to ensure that similar breaches do not recur.