WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio faced pointed questions from lawmakers on Wednesday over the Trump administration’s handling of Afghan refugee resettlement, defending the administration’s vetting procedures and emphasizing the need for caution as concerns grow over delays and the lack of visible progress.
During a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Dina Titus, Democrat of Nevada, pressed Rubio on the status of the CARE office — the Coordination for Afghan Relocation Efforts — a federal initiative aimed at supporting Afghans who were displaced following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“You voted for that, Mr. Secretary. Mr. [Brian] Mast voted for that,” Titus said, referring to bipartisan support for the legislation. “We called for this to be created and have an appointment made. I wonder, can you tell us what’s happening with that to help us serve these Afghan refugees?”
Rubio responded that oversight of refugee intake primarily falls under the Department of Homeland Security, but said he would provide further information on the office’s status. He also emphasized the need for rigorous vetting procedures amid what he described as ongoing challenges from large-scale migration.
“One of the things we’re tackling right now is we have to be able to properly vet anyone who comes into this country, given the mass migration events we’ve confronted over the last three years,” Mr. Rubio said.
Titus countered that Afghan refugees — many of whom assisted the U.S. mission — are often subjected to some of the strictest screening protocols.
“I suspect these people are vetted as much or more than just about anybody else coming into the country as refugees,” she said.
Rubio acknowledged that some evacuees had worked directly with U.S. forces and were well-documented, but said others — including family members — present more complicated security challenges.
“Some of them we know because they’ve worked with us in the past,” he said. “Others, we just have limited information on them… Not every country — including Afghanistan — has perfect records.”
As the exchange continued, Titus pressed for a clear commitment to fully implement the CARE office, which was mandated by Congress but remains largely dormant.
“We are going to continue with this Afghan relocation effort, and this office, this CARE office, is what you’re committing to me?” she asked.
Rubio replied, “We’re going to comply with the statutory requirements, but we also have to be more careful about who we let into this country.”
This comes as thousands of Afghans are awaiting their relocation to the United States under the refugees resettlement program that has been paused after Trump took office in January 2025.
