Trump admin halts immigration of Afghan nationals after DC shooting of two National Guardsmen

WASHINGTON, DC: Federal immigration authorities have temporarily suspended the processing of immigration applications on Wednesday, November 26 from Afghan nationals following a shooting in Washington, DC.

The decision came after a suspected gunman who entered the United States from Afghanistan was identified as the person responsible for wounding two National Guard members near the White House.

The suspension is effective immediately, pending a security review.

Immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals stopped

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.”

This action was taken “effective immediately,” according to the agency.

The alleged attacker, identified by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was taken into custody after being shot by a Guard member.

According to a DHS official, Lakanwal had entered the US in 2021 under a refugee resettlement initiative known as 'Operation Allies Welcome'.

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

The affected Afghan immigrants included individuals who had assisted US forces, including interpreters or other employees.

While others were granted asylum or humanitarian parole, temporarily protected status, or family based visas. For some Afghans, their asylum grant had already been approved as in the case of Lakanwal.

DHS further said Lakanwal applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted asylum in 2025, though his green‑card application remains pending.

AfghanEvac response and President Trump’s call for re-evaluation

Others had been granted temporary protected status or humanitarian parole but did not necessarily have a clear path to permanent residence.

As for whether US authorities had already vetted those arriving under Operation, supporters of the resettlement program maintain that the procedures were extensive.

One non‑profit, the group AfghanEvac, which assists evacuees, said that Afghan immigrants “undergo some of the most extensive security vetting of any population entering the country.”

The group condemned the shooting, but urged the public not to demonize the broader Afghan community for the acts of a single individual.

In response to the shooting and the subsequent immigration suspension, President Trump released a video message calling for a reevaluation of all Afghan nationals admitted under the 2021 evacuation initiative. 

He said, “We must now re‑examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden, and 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.”