New Act Mandates Biometric Vetting for Afghan Evacuees, Freezing Federal Benefits Until Complete

The Afghanistan Vetting and Accountability Act of 2025 sets out strict new rules for a specific group of people: non-U.S. citizens who were evacuated from Afghanistan with U.S. government coordination between January 20, 2021, and January 20, 2022 (often referenced under Operation Allies Welcome). Essentially, the bill mandates a comprehensive security check and, crucially, ties access to essential financial support to the completion of that check.

The New Vetting Checklist

Under this bill (SEC. 2), the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) must now perform two key actions for every individual in this group. First, DHS must verify their personal and biometric information. Second, and this is the heavy lift, they must conduct in-person vetting. The bill doesn't define what that in-person vetting entails, which leaves a lot of room for bureaucratic interpretation and potential delays. DHS also has to create and maintain a database for each person, tracking their biometrics, personal details, any criminal record since arriving in the U.S., and whether they’ve applied for or received unemployment or federal benefits.

The Benefit Freeze: No Vetting, No Aid

Here’s the provision that hits hardest in the real world: The bill explicitly states that an individual evacuated from Afghanistan is not eligible to receive unemployment compensation or any Federal means-tested public benefit until they have completed the required personal and biometric information submission and undergone that in-person vetting. “Federal means-tested public benefit” is a catch-all term for programs like SNAP (food stamps), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medicaid. For a family trying to rebuild their lives and secure stable employment, losing access to food assistance or healthcare coverage for an indefinite period—while they wait for the government’s process to move—is a massive hurdle. It’s like being told you can’t get paid for your work until your employer finishes a background check that they haven't scheduled yet.

Accountability and Oversight

While the benefit restriction is a major concern, the bill does build in significant accountability measures. The Secretary must submit quarterly reports to Congress detailing the vetting status of every single individual on the list, including any criminal history (both from Afghanistan, if available, and the U.S.). This level of mandatory reporting (SEC. 2) means Congress will have a constant, detailed view of how fast—or slow—DHS is moving. Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required to audit DHS's compliance twice: once within two years of enactment, and again one year after DHS certifies that all vetting is complete. This outside audit ensures that the process doesn't just stall out once the initial political heat is off. The push for security and transparency is clear, but the immediate cost is borne by the evacuees who need the most help right now.