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National security expert urges caution as thousands flee Afghanistan for the US

Posted at 8:15 PM, Aug 23, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-23 20:18:16-04

DETROIT (WXYZ) — "Due to the complicated nature of these evacuations and to protect the privacy and security of the arriving Afghans we are not providing specifics," said a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department about when and where Afghan men, women, and children could be arriving in Michigan and other states.

Afghan refugees have already begun arriving at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, the state's only active military installation, following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan last week.

Here in Michigan, refugee resettlement organizations like Samaritas have begun preparing for the arrival of Afghans by collecting monetary donations and accepting names of those interested in offering housing.

Anyone with housing options that might be able to help Afghan refugees can email info@samaritas.org.

As tens of thousands of Afghans, some who assisted the United States military over the past two decades, are seeking refuge in America, former head of the FBI's Detroit division Andy Arena said we have to balance our humanitarian efforts with national security.

"This is a great opportunity for a group like ISIS to try to put some wolves in with the sheep," said Arena who also served as chief of the FBI's International Terrorism Operations Section following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

"What we're seeing on television, on nightly news, on the 24 hour news cycle, it tears at our heartstrings, but that has got to be balanced with the national security of this country," he said. "We cannot allow somebody in here is going to do harm to us."

Click on the video to hear from Arena in Kimberly Craig's report.