US Immigration Processing for Afghans Halted After National Guard Shooting in D.C.
The Trump administration has announced a halt to all immigration applications from Afghan nationals, effective immediately. This move comes after the shooting of two National Guard members by a man who entered the US from Afghanistan. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was a recipient of Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era initiative that allowed tens of thousands of Afghans to be resettled in the country.
Lakanwal, who was paroled into the US on humanitarian grounds in 2021, had applied for asylum with US Citizenship and Immigration Services last year. His application was granted in 2025, but his request for a green card remains pending. The shooting has raised questions about the vetting process for Afghan nationals, with some Republicans accusing the Biden administration of not doing enough to ensure national security.
President Trump has called for a re-examination of all aliens who entered the country from Afghanistan under Biden and has vowed to take measures to remove any "aliens who do not belong" in the US. The US military evacuated tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan last year, with many settling in the US through various immigration programs.
Afghan nationals who arrived in the US have faced uncertainty due to their lack of permanent residency status. Many were granted humanitarian parole or temporary protected status, which has left them in limbo. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that Lakanwal was eligible for these protections due to his asylum application, but it is unclear how this relates to the shooting.
Critics have argued that immigrants from Afghanistan undergo rigorous security vetting before entering the US, and that demonizing the Afghan community would be unfair. The nonprofit group AfghanEvac has condemned the attack, urging people not to target the Afghan community for the actions of one individual.
The Trump administration has announced a halt to all immigration applications from Afghan nationals, effective immediately. This move comes after the shooting of two National Guard members by a man who entered the US from Afghanistan. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was a recipient of Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era initiative that allowed tens of thousands of Afghans to be resettled in the country.
Lakanwal, who was paroled into the US on humanitarian grounds in 2021, had applied for asylum with US Citizenship and Immigration Services last year. His application was granted in 2025, but his request for a green card remains pending. The shooting has raised questions about the vetting process for Afghan nationals, with some Republicans accusing the Biden administration of not doing enough to ensure national security.
President Trump has called for a re-examination of all aliens who entered the country from Afghanistan under Biden and has vowed to take measures to remove any "aliens who do not belong" in the US. The US military evacuated tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan last year, with many settling in the US through various immigration programs.
Afghan nationals who arrived in the US have faced uncertainty due to their lack of permanent residency status. Many were granted humanitarian parole or temporary protected status, which has left them in limbo. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that Lakanwal was eligible for these protections due to his asylum application, but it is unclear how this relates to the shooting.
Critics have argued that immigrants from Afghanistan undergo rigorous security vetting before entering the US, and that demonizing the Afghan community would be unfair. The nonprofit group AfghanEvac has condemned the attack, urging people not to target the Afghan community for the actions of one individual.
like what if he's innocent? what if he didn't do anything wrong but got caught in the crossfire? i mean we all know that vetting process is tough but to just halt all immigration from afghan nationals is harsh 
im not saying biden admin did a bad job on security but we gotta think of the people affected here like Lakanwal and his family 
they were already in limbo with temporary protected status... now what?
The vetting process is already super strict, so I don't think we need to just turn everyone away based on one guy's actions. 
It's all about finding that balance between security and compassion. And what about the kids? They're stuck in limbo because of their parents' immigration status... it's heartbreaking 
I mean, come on, a single shooting by some guy with a troubled past and suddenly we're talking about halting immigration from Afghans? 
It's like, I get it, security is important, but can't we just give these people a chance? 
They were already through vetting process, for crying out loud! 
Not all of them are like Lakanwal, you know? 
We can't just punish an entire group because of one bad apple. 
It's unfair to the good people who were genuinely seeking a better life here. 
I'm like "seriously?!?" What's going on with this guy Lakanwal? He was paroled into the US and now a National Guard member is shot because of him... Like, what vetting process went wrong here? 
. i mean, you'd think that if someone had already been paroled into the country, they'd have some kinda guarantee of being safe or something 
. but then again, i guess we need to consider the vetting process too... do they really check for that level of detail?