DHS Secretary Slams Biden Administration Over Handling of Visa Overstays

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sharply criticized the Biden administration's handling of visa overstays, citing a watchdog report that found millions of leads concerning individuals who have remained in the U.S. beyond their authorized stay were not addressed. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin called the situation a "dereliction of duty" that "needlessly put American lives at risk."

The DHS Office of Inspector General examined how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) managed potential overstays during a three-year period of the Biden presidency. The report identified 3,145,375 leads, with 96.7 percent classified as "non-priority."

According to the report, out of more than 100,000 individuals identified as potential national security threats over four years, the administration arrested only eight. DHS noted that out of 2.8 million non-priority leads sent to ICE, only five were investigated, resulting in two arrests.

The report highlighted three specific cases of individuals who entered the U.S. legally, overstayed their visas during the Biden administration, and were subsequently arrested for alleged crimes:

• Shaquiel Sheldon Williams, a Jamaican national, entered the U.S. legally in December 2023 and overstayed his visa that expired in January 2024. He is accused of stabbing two employees at a Florida Burger King in August following a dispute over payment. Williams was charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
• John Young Cotter Johnstone, a British national, entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Visa Waiver Program, with his visa expiring in February 2022. He was arrested in May of this year in Nevada and charged with four felony counts of willfully torturing, maiming, or mutilating animals. He had been working at an animal shelter.
• Sameh Mohamed Chami, a Lebanese national, was in the U.S. illegally when he allegedly sexually assaulted a 21-year-old female passenger in August 2025 while working as an Uber driver in Texas. Chami's 12-month visa had expired in December 2022. He was arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping, and ICE lodged a detainer against him.

Secretary Mullin stated, "The degree of the Biden Administration's dereliction of duty, which needlessly put American lives at risk, is staggering and enraging." He contrasted the current administration's approach with that of the Trump administration, asserting, "The Trump Administration will always put the safety of the American people first. We will target and remove as many illegal aliens as possible to make America safe again."