Tragedy Near the White House: Afghan Immigration Processing Halted After Fatal National Guard Shooting
A brazen daytime shooting just blocks from the White House has sent shockwaves through Washington, resulting in a swift and dramatic policy response from the Trump administration. Following the fatal shooting of a National Guard member, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has ordered an immediate and indefinite pause on the processing of all immigration applications for Afghan nationals.
The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, when a man identified as an Afghan national allegedly opened fire on two members of the West Virginia National Guard. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, just 20 years old, later died from her injuries, while Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities have labeled the assault an “ambush-style” attack.
The Suspect and the Policy Fallout
Federal authorities identified the alleged gunman as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national. The details surrounding his entry into the US immediately fueled the political firestorm. Lakanwal was reportedly paroled into the country in September 2021 under the Operation Allies Welcome program, a Biden-era initiative to resettle vulnerable Afghans after the US withdrawal. Compounding the complexity, Lakanwal later applied for and was granted asylum in April 2025 by the Trump administration.
In a televised address, President Donald Trump condemned the attack and stated that the nation must “re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.” The USCIS quickly followed, announcing that all Afghan-related immigration requests were “stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.” Additionally, the administration ordered a full-scale review of Green Cards for immigrants from 19 countries deemed “of concern.”
Thousands Left in Limbo
The indefinite pause in processing has intensified the already precarious position of tens of thousands of Afghans both in the US and abroad. Many of the approximately 200,000 Afghan nationals resettled in the United States since 2021 arrived under humanitarian parole, a temporary status that does not offer a clear path to permanent residency.
The order also impacts the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, which is designed to protect Afghans who directly assisted US forces as translators and in other capacities. Prior to this shooting, the administration had already taken steps that drastically slowed the SIV process, including eliminating a key support office and pausing foreign aid that funded travel for approved visa recipients. Advocates warn that this new blanket suspension only adds to the uncertainty for thousands who still await processing, including those who put their lives at risk to help Americans during the two-decade war.
The tragedy near the White House has once again thrust the emotional and complex issue of Afghan immigration and vetting procedures to the forefront of the national conversation, leaving countless individuals who sought refuge in the US facing a deeply uncertain future.