Southwest
Afghan man charged with Election Day terror plot screened multiple times, worked CIA security job
An Afghan man living in Oklahoma who allegedly plotted to conduct a terrorist attack on Election Day on behalf of the Islamic State worked a security job for the CIA in Afghanistan, Fox News has learned.
Authorities believe Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, became radicalized after he arrived in the U.S. Sept. 9, 2021, weeks after the American troops pulled out of Afghanistan, a senior Biden administration official said.
He entered the U.S. on a special immigrant visa (SIV) and is on parole status pending adjudication of his immigration proceedings, the Department of Homeland Security said this week. Those facts were disputed by the State Department.
Officials have since clarified that Tawhedi came to the U.S. via humanitarian parole and later applied for SIV status.
AFGHAN MAN IN OKLAHOMA PLOTTED ELECTION DAY TERROR ATTACK IN US ON BEHALF OF ISIS, JUSTICE DEPT SAYS
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi is charged with plotting an Election Day terror attack. (Department of Justice)
Humanitarian parole is a process by which Tawhedi would have been held in a third country for screening and vetting and then flown to the U.S.
After moving to the U.S. in 2021, he applied for special immigrant status, a pathway for a green card, and was approved. He hadn’t finalized his status, which is why the State Department denied a DHS claim made this week that Tawhedi arrived with an SIV.
It was still unclear when the State Department approved him for an SIV after DHS approved him for humanitarian parole in 2021. Tawhedi applied for SIV status immediately after arriving in the U.S.
There were no red flags that would have barred him from entry into the U.S., officials said.
DHS OIG FAULTS AFGHAN VETTING, WARNS NATIONAL SECURITY THREATS MAY HAVE ENTERED US
A photo of Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi and his children from July. (Department of Justice)
“Afghan evacuees who sought to enter the United States were subject to multilayered screening and vetting against intelligence, law enforcement and counterterrorism information. If new information emerges after arrival, appropriate action is taken,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Investigators believe Tawhedi was radicalized after arriving in the U.S., similar to several past terrorism suspects, including those involved in the Pulse nightclub shooting, the 2015 San Bernardino attack and the Halloween 2017 case in which a man used a truck to murder eight people and injure several others on a bike path in Lower Manhattan on behalf of ISIS.
Tawhedi was arrested Monday and is charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS and receiving a gun to be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism.
In his seized communications, Tawhedi allegedly indicated that his attack was planned to target large gatherings of people on Election Day, during which he and a juvenile were expected to die as martyrs. He was busted after speaking with an FBI confidential informant, the Justice Department said.
The unidentified juvenile suspect, Tawhedi’s brother-in-law, entered the U.S. in March 2018 under a stricter SIV program after he was vetted.
On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas refused to answer questions about Tawhedi amid ongoing concerns about the vetting of those brought to the U.S.
Read the full article from Here
Los Angeles, Ca
Protests mark 1-year anniversary of federal agents storming L.A.’s Fashion District
Events and protests were held in downtown Los Angeles Saturday on the one-year anniversary of one of the largest immigration enforcement actions in California.
One June 6, 2025, federal agents stormed the L.A. Fashion District, arresting and detaining dozens of workers.
The enforcement action served as a catalyst, igniting a wave of subsequent raids across Southern California. In response, city leaders affirmed their “unwavering commitment to the immigrant communities” in Los Angeles, as events were held throughout the city to remember those who were deported and those whose immigration cases remain unresolved.
Protesters advocating for immigrant communities gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Saturday, waving flags and signs. One woman was arrested during a clash with police.
The initial raid in the L.A. Garment District swept up workers, including the father of one woman who described the experience as “one of the most traumatic experiences” of their lives. This operation was among the first deportation actions that resulted in families being separated and triggered days of civil unrest.
At a commemoration event, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and the Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of L.A. stood together, vowing to protect immigrant communities living in fear.
“We all felt attacked, and I think what’s so critical today, is to know and remember and acknowledge that this is still going on every day,” Bass said.
While the Department of Homeland Security maintains that its enforcement operations target criminals, families of those detained argue that immigration enforcement terrorizes hardworking people. These families contend that many immigrants pay taxes and contribute to society, even if they are not U.S. citizens.
Immigration attorneys report that thousands of individuals are still trying to locate their loved ones. They also highlighted that hundreds of people swept up in immigration raids last year remain detained in facilities, facing medical neglect, inhumane conditions and the denial of basic due process protections.
Watch the full report from KTLA’s Sara Welch in the video at the top of this story.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTLA. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTLA staff before being published.
Los Angeles, Ca
Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him
A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.
According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday.
“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.”
The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.
No further details were immediately available.
Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away.
Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach
A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.
On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.
She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.
Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.
The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
-
Lifestyle3 minutes agoSummer TV season has arrived — here’s what you shouldn’t miss
-
Technology15 minutes agoJMGO’s N3 Ultimate projector is the new portable 4K champ
-
World18 minutes agoPro-US conservative faces leftist in Peru’s high-stakes presidential runoff
-
Politics23 minutes agoGOP firebrand lashes out at reporter over Massie allegation: ‘F— you, first of all!’
-
Health30 minutes agoScientists unveil ‘living bandage’ that could dramatically speed wound healing
-
Sports32 minutes agoGolden Knights beat Hurricanes in double OT Game 3, one of the wildest Stanley Cup Final games of all-time
-
Technology38 minutes agoFox News AI Newsletter: Sanders bill would seize 50% of stock in OpenAI, Anthropic for sovereign wealth fund
-
Business45 minutes agoLatest data show California conundrum: high growth but high prices, high unemployment