00:00Was Afghanistan a successful withdrawal?
00:05Senator, the evacuation that the Department of Defense and the Department of State led was historic in evacuating so many individuals.
00:17Of those that are evacuated, how many of them were vetted before they got on the plane?
00:21Senator, it is our policy to...
00:25That's a simple question. How many of them were vetted before they got on the plane?
00:29Out of Afghanistan?
00:31Yeah.
00:31Cannot speak to that, but it is our policy.
00:33So you can't tell us how many people were vetted before they got on the plane to come to America?
00:38Oh, I'm sorry. If you're speaking of the plane to come to America, let me, if I may, Senator, explain the process.
00:44Because we, working with our allies...
00:46Okay, here's a question. Very simple. Those that got on the plane...
00:51For America, it is our policy to...
00:53Please, please listen. Please listen to my question.
00:56I apologize.
00:56To those who got on the C-17s and other planes, how many of them were vetted before they got on the plane by American officials?
01:04To the United States, it is our policy to vet and screen 100% of them.
01:08So 100% of those people that got on the plane were vetted. That's your testimony under oath?
01:12It is our policy to do so.
01:15That's not... I don't care what your policy is. I'm asking how many people were vetted before they got on the plane.
01:19Do you know the answer?
01:21Senator...
01:22If you don't know, just say, I don't know.
01:23Senator, I do not know if anyone boarded a plane that was not fully screened and vetted.
01:30Can you tell me that all the people that got on the plane were vetted?
01:34Absolutely. I can tell you that all of the individuals...
01:37Before they got on the plane.
01:38If I may, Senator, all of the individuals who arrived in the United States have been screened and vetted.
01:48That's not... Listen, I'm not trying to trick you.
01:52I'm trying to ask a simple question.
01:55We've had thousands of people that got on C-17s and flew out of the most chaotic situation I've seen since the fall of Saigon.
02:02And I'm asking you, before they got on the plane, how many of them were vetted by the United States?
02:08Can you tell me what percentage?
02:12Senator, I would posit, and I will confirm this, that well over 99% of them were fully screened and vetted before they boarded a flight.
02:24Okay.
02:25If, in fact, any of...
02:27Where do you get that information from?
02:29May I, Senator?
02:30If, in fact, they were not, they were screened and vetted while in flight.
02:36And if any derogatory information was adduced, they were placed in immigration enforcement proceedings and in removal.
02:47You do know you're under oath.
02:51Are you telling this committee under oath that 99% of the people who got on these planes in Afghanistan
02:57were vetted by our government before they got on that plane?
03:01I want to be very clear because precision...
03:03Because you're not.
03:04No, no, no.
03:05Senator, if I may, you are asking me about planes from transit countries, the third country...
03:12I'm talking about people who got on the plane at Kabul Airport.
03:16No, I can't speak to that.
03:18Well, that's...
03:18Okay, good.
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