Afghans in US plead with Trump after Washington DC National Guard shooting

WASHINGTON, DC: Following the tragic shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC, on Wednesday by an Afghan refugee Rahmanullah Lakanwal, Afghans living in the US condemned the attack and stressed that the suspect does not represent their community. This comes after President Donald Trump halted the processing of all Afghan immigration requests.

Afghan community in US condemns National Guard shooting

Urging the US government not to delay or suspend Afghan immigration claims, the Afghan Community Coalition of the United States expressed sympathy for the families of the victims and called for a "comprehensive investigation."

Referring to the two-decade effort launched by the US in 2001 to overthrow Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and establish security in the country, the coalition said, "Twenty years of Afghan-US partnership must not be forgotten."

Afghans living in the US told the BBC they were horrified by the recent attack, emphasizing that it was the act of a single individual.

One Afghan, who moved to the US following the military withdrawal, described Wednesday's incident as "deeply tragic." He noted that it occurred just before Thanksgiving and amid a "highly charged political environment in Washington, DC."

However, he emphasized that the shooting was an "individual criminal offence, not representative of a community."

"Afghans in the United States are hardworking, tax-paying members of society," he said. "They remain grateful to America for the evacuation efforts during the crisis in Kabul."

USCIS halts Afghan immigration after attack

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that “processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” effective immediately.

Lakanwal was taken into custody after being shot by a National Guard member.

Under Operation Allies Welcome, tens of thousands of Afghans were evacuated and resettled in the US after the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in 2021.

The affected Afghan immigrants included those who assisted US forces, such as interpreters or other employees, while others were granted asylum, humanitarian parole, temporary protected status, or family-based visas. Some had already received asylum approval, including Lakanwal.

Donald Trump links Afghan arrivals to security risks

Following the attack, Donald Trump called the shooting “a heinous assault … an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.”

In a video message, he stated that “every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden be re-examined.”

He added, “We must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country.”