US Suspends Afghan Immigration Following Security Incident
The United States government has announced an immediate and indefinite suspension of all immigration requests involving Afghan nationals. This dramatic policy shift comes in response to a shooting incident that occurred near the White House in Washington, DC, where the suspect has been identified as an Afghan national.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made the announcement official through a post on social media platform X. The agency confirmed that processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals has been stopped indefinitely, pending a comprehensive review of security and vetting protocols.
Details of the White House Area Shooting
According to law enforcement sources cited by CBS News, the suspect is 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who originally entered the United States in 2021. Authorities are currently working to verify his complete background, while the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
The violent incident left two West Virginia National Guard members critically injured after they were attacked on Wednesday afternoon just blocks from the White House. The soldiers had been deployed to the capital, and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser described the shooting as a targeted act of violence.
FBI director Kash Patel joined Mayor Bowser in confirming that both soldiers were hospitalized in critical condition following the attack.
Operation Allies Welcome Under Scrutiny
Officials revealed that the 29-year-old suspect arrived in the US through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program that facilitated the evacuation and resettlement of tens of thousands of Afghans following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
The initiative brought nearly 80,000 Afghans to the country, many of whom had worked directly with American forces during the two-decade long conflict. However, the program has faced significant scrutiny from Republicans, former President Donald Trump, and government watchdogs who have raised concerns about the speed of admissions and potential security vetting gaps.
Law enforcement officials identified Lakanwal as having been living in Washington state prior to the incident. According to two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the investigation who spoke to the Associated Press anonymously, authorities are still working to fully verify his background.
Former President Trump condemned the shooting vehemently, calling it "an act of terror" and asserting that the suspect entered the country in 2021. He demanded a reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees admitted under the Biden administration following the attack on the National Guard members.
In a video message released Wednesday night, Trump stated: "If they can't love our country, we don't want them," adding that the shooting was "a crime against our entire nation."
The USCIS emphasized in their announcement that "the protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission" as justification for the immigration suspension.
