{"id":4472,"date":"2021-07-29T01:12:43","date_gmt":"2021-07-29T06:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antipolygraph.org\/blog\/?p=4472"},"modified":"2026-05-16T13:22:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T18:22:02","slug":"former-nsa-polygraph-division-chief-says-polygraphs-should-not-be-the-deciding-factor-in-visa-determinations-for-afghan-interpreters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antipolygraph.org\/blog\/2021\/07\/29\/former-nsa-polygraph-division-chief-says-polygraphs-should-not-be-the-deciding-factor-in-visa-determinations-for-afghan-interpreters\/","title":{"rendered":"Former NSA Polygraph Division Chief Says Polygraphs Should Not Be the Deciding Factor in Visa Determinations for Afghan Interpreters"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Thomas P. Mauriello<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thomas P. Mauriello<\/a>, who once headed the NSA’s Polygraph Division, tells Newsy national security reporter Sasha Ingber<\/a> that while he thinks the U.S. government should use polygraphs, they alone shouldn’t be the determining factor in decision-making. Mauriello’s remarks came in the context of a video report titled, “Ex-Polygraph Chief: Polygraphs Need Not Deny Afghan Interpreters Visas.”<\/a> The following is a transcript excerpt:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are Afghan interpreters who risked their lives to help U.S. forces now being consigned to death because of a flawed test?<\/p>

“They just told me, ‘you failed the polygraph test,'” Afghan interpreter Omid Mahmoodi said.<\/p>

Many tell Newsy they’ve been denied Special Immigrant Visas after failing the required polygraph.<\/p>

“The use of the polygraph has been very helpful, but it’s unfair many times” Tom Mauriello, Former Chief of Polygraph at the Department of Defense said.<\/p>

This all comes as the U.S. troop withdrawal in Afghanistan is almost complete and the Taliban is gaining ground.<\/p>

All the reason, Mauriello says, a polygraph shouldn’t make-or-break an interpreter’s chances of coming to the U.S.<\/p>

“Should the government be using it? Yes,” Mauriello said. “But they should be using it as a tool, among other things, so if they’re not successful on a polygraph test, but they’ve done an extensive background investigation and there’s no reason to have any concerns or problem, they should weigh those two things and then decide whether a person should have access or be approved for whatever they’re being evaluated for.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Newsy additionally sought comment from the federal polygraph school, the National Center for Credibility Assessment<\/a>, which did not respond to its calls or emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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George W. Maschke<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ingber also spoke with AntiPolygraph.org co-founder George Maschke about the policy of denying visas to Afghans who served with U.S. forces based on polygraph results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It is, in fact, a cop-invented pseudoscience,” former Intelligence Officer George Maschke said. “The claim that polygraph has no scientific basis is supported by the National Academy of Sciences, which conducted an exhaustive review of the scientific evidence on polygraphs and in its 2002 report<\/a> ‘The Polygraph and Lie Detection’ expressly recommended against polygraph screening by federal agencies.”<\/p>

Polygraphs aren’t admissible evidence in most courtrooms. The major exception is New Mexico. So why are they being used here?<\/p>

“I feel it’s unconscionable that the United states government is denying evacuation to Afghans who served honorably with our forces simply because they failed a polygraph test,” Maschke continued. “And I think it would be appropriate for President Biden to take executive action to reverse that policy immediately.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The entire video report may be viewed below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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