An Afghan national, Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, has been arrested in Texas after a video posted on TikTok appeared to show him constructing a bomb and threatening to blow up a building in the Fort Worth area. His arrest came just one day before the Washington DC shooting, where two National Guard members were shot one fatally by another Afghan man who also entered the U.S. under the same resettlement program.
Who Is Mohammad Dawood Alokozay?
Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, an Afghan national who entered the United States under President Joe Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome program, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with making a terroristic threat, according to DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. The arrest was carried out by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, with ICE lodging a detainer following the arrest.
Authorities say Alokozay posted a video on TikTok showing himself assembling a bomb, suggesting that the Fort Worth area was the intended target. He reportedly threatened to blow up a building before law enforcement intervened. Records show he was admitted to the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident on September 7, 2022.
Alokozay is currently being held at the Tarrant County Corrections Center. His arrest has raised questions after inmate records listed his race as “White,” despite DHS identifying him as Afghan, an inconsistency flagged by independent journalist Breanna Morello.
Connection to DC National Guard Shooting
The arrest comes amid heightened national concern following the Washington DC shooting on Wednesday, in which National Guard members Specialist Sarah Beckstrom (20) and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe (24) was ambushed. Beckstrom later died from her injuries, while Wolfe remains critical.
The accused gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, also entered the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome. Officials say he drove across the country before carrying out an “ambush-style attack” using a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver near a military deployment site in Washington DC. Troops on duty subdued the shooter after returning fire.
Lakanwal had previously worked with a CIA-backed Afghan military unit before being evacuated during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Political Reaction and Fallout
The developments have sparked a new wave of political debate on immigration and national security. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that President Donald Trump has ordered aggressive measures to address internal threats, saying Biden’s resettlement decisions have “unleashed a national security crisis.”
In response to the shooting, the Trump administration has temporarily halted asylum rulings, citing security concerns.
Operation Allies Welcome Under Scrutiny
Operation Allies Welcome resettled around 76,000 Afghans in the U.S. following the Taliban takeover. While supporters say the program provided lifesaving evacuation for vetted allies, critics argue vetting gaps may have allowed dangerous individuals entry concerns now magnified by the arrests of both Alokozay and Lakanwal.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
