WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) announced the introduction of H.R. 8713, the Stopping Taliban Operatives from Penetrating or “STOP Act.” Tiffany’s bill would overturn a recent Biden administration directive allowing individuals who worked for the Taliban and individuals who have provided “limited material support” to “a designated terrorist organization” a pathway to enter the United States.
In June, Biden’s Department of Homeland Security announced the controversial changes, which relaxed inadmissibility standards for these groups. The order was issued on the heels of a Pentagon inspector general report that identified at least 50 Afghan evacuees who were allowed into the U.S. during the chaotic evacuation of Kabul with “potentially significant security concerns.”
In the 12 months since the fall of Kabul, the Biden administration has allowed nearly 80,000 Afghans into the U.S., with more likely to come.
“President Biden has repeatedly told the American people that the tens of thousands of Afghans being released into our communities were fully vetted and worked directly with U.S. personnel on sensitive military, diplomatic and intelligence operations. We now know that was a lie,” said Congressman Tiffany.
“The Biden administration has now gone a step further by opening a massive new loophole to bring in even more Afghans – including those who were on the Taliban payroll and individuals that provided support to known terrorist organizations,” Congressman Tiffany added. “This isn’t just dishonest, it’s dangerous.”
“From their failed open-borders policy to the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, President Biden has continued to put American safety and security at risk,” Congressman Tiffany concluded. “It is time to start putting our national security first, and the STOP Act will do just that.”
Read more about Rep. Tiffany’s bill here.
