In response to a recent shooting incident in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump has enacted a halt on all asylum decisions. This comes after an Afghan national was charged in the attack that resulted in the death of a National Guard member and left another critically injured.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has suspended all asylum decisions. “Until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible,” USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow wrote on X late Friday evening.
In addition to the suspension, the agency announced the implementation of new national security measures, including a reevaluation of green cards issued to immigrants from “countries of concern,” such as Afghanistan.
The Department of Homeland Security has also paused the processing of immigration requests from Afghanistan and is reviewing asylum cases approved during the Biden administration. Visa issuance for those traveling on Afghan passports has been “immediately paused,” Fox News reported.
The shooting occurred on Wednesday near the Farragut West Metro station, where Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is accused of shooting two members of the West Virginia National Guard. Army Spec. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries, while Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.
Lakanwal has been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the Justice Department intends to pursue the death penalty.
Trump has asserted via a Truth Social post that his administration would “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries” to allow the national system to stabilize. USCIS confirmed it is implementing this order and freezing all pending immigration decisions due to public safety concerns.
Lakanwal entered the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome in 2021, aimed at resettling Afghans who collaborated with U.S. forces. Despite undergoing security checks, his case has stirred political debates over the safety of such resettlement programs.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi L. Noem criticized the Biden administration on X, referring to the suspect as “one of the many unvetted” individuals paroled into the U.S.
The White House acknowledged Lakanwal’s parole was under Biden-era policies, with asylum granted this year due to a 2023 settlement to expedite delayed cases.
A White House official mentioned that Lakanwal wouldn’t have faced deportation regardless of asylum status due to his parole. The settlement aimed to fast-track cases for Afghan evacuees experiencing prolonged delays.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., criticized the stationing of National Guard troops in cities, suggesting their presence may have influenced the targeting of military personnel, according to the New York Post.
Further scrutiny surrounds the timeline of Lakanwal’s arrival in the U.S. While Trump claimed he was part of the chaotic evacuation flights from Kabul, the Post reported that evacuees were initially processed and vetted in Qatar.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
