Immigration security

Pentagon: Dozens of Afghan Troops Missing from U.S. Military Training

Pentagon officials say 45 Afghan troops visiting the U.S. for military training have gone missing from their assignments in less than two years, presumably in an effort to live and work illegally in America.

In one case, an Afghan student was detained by Canadian police while trying to enter that country from the U.S. In some cases, officials said, those who went missing were in the U.S. for elite Army Ranger School and intelligence-gathering training. Defense officials did not identify the missing troops or their rank.

Although the number of disappearances is relatively small — some 2,200 Afghan troops have received military training in the United States since 2007 — the incidents raise questions about security and screening procedures for the programs.