Trump calls for 're-examination' of all Afghan nationals admitted under Biden after DC shooting
.@POTUS: "We must now reexamine 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." pic.twitter.com/jAPGBP5HH2
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 27, 2025
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: President Trump called for a re-examination of Afghan immigrants who entered the United States during the administration of former President Joe Biden.
Trump issued this demand following a shooting on Wednesday, November 26, in Washington, DC, in which two National Guard members were shot.
The suspect in the shooting is said to have come from Afghanistan in 2021.
Donald Trump’s calls for re-examination of Afghan immigrants
Trump declared the shooting “a heinous assault … an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.”
In the video message, he declared that "every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden be re-examined."
He further insisted, “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.”
"Based on best available information, the Department of Homeland Security is confident that the suspect in custody is a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan...He was flown in by the Biden administration in September 2021" Trump announced.
He further claimed, “The last administration let in 20 million unknown foreigners from all over the world.”
Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.
— USCIS (@USCIS) November 27, 2025
The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and…
US immigration service halts processing of Afghan applications
Late on Wednesday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced an indefinite halt to processing all immigration applications involving Afghan nationals.
The Immigration Service said, "The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission."
The suspension is indefinite, pending what the authorities have described as a “further review of security and vetting protocols.”
The suspect entered the US through 'Operation Allies Welcome', a program under the Biden administration that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans following the US withdrawal from the country.
The initiative brought approximately 76,000 individuals to the US, many of whom had served alongside American troops and diplomats as translators and interpreters.
The program had already come under intense scrutiny from Trump and his allies, congressional Republicans, and certain government watchdogs, who raised concerns about gaps in the vetting process and the speed of admissions.
However, advocates argued that it provided a vital lifeline to those facing potential Taliban reprisals.
The suspect, reportedly residing in Washington state, has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal.
Still, authorities were continuing efforts to fully verify his background, according to two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the situation.
