The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrested Basir Ahmad Safi, an Afghan national admitted to the U.S. under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, following his conviction for indecent exposure to a minor. Safi, in his 30s, was taken into custody on March 11 and is being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pending removal proceedings.
Charges and Arrest Details
Safi was convicted of indecent exposure to a child after previously facing multiple charges, including lewd or lascivious exhibition, soliciting a child via computer, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and child abuse. He was arrested in September 2023 in Florida by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and later taken into custody by DHS as part of a joint investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. At the time of arrest, Safi’s immigration status had been revoked, rendering him unlawfully present in the country.
Admission Under Operation Allies Welcome
Safi was admitted to the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden administration program to resettle Afghan nationals following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. DHS has stated that this program relied on what it described as “unvetted referrals,” admitting nearly 190,000 Afghans, among whom were individuals later identified as terrorists, sexual predators, and other public safety threats. DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis criticized the prior administration, stating Safi “should NEVER have been allowed into our country or given the opportunity to prey on innocent children.”
Broader Security Concerns and DHS Response
This arrest follows other security-related incidents involving individuals admitted under Operation Allies Welcome, including the 2025 shooting in Washington, D.C., by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, another Afghan national admitted under the same program. DHS highlighted efforts under former President Donald Trump’s leadership to suspend Afghan refugee resettlement and focus on identifying and removing public safety threats. A spokesperson for former President Biden did not respond to requests for comment.
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