Officials say the move reflects growing scrutiny of Afghans and other migrants who entered the United States legally in recent years…reports Asian Lite News
The Trump administration has suspended all asylum decisions and paused the issuance of visas for anyone traveling on Afghan passports, escalating its efforts to restrict legal immigration after a National Guard member was killed in a shooting near the White House.
Officials say the move reflects growing scrutiny of Afghans and other migrants who entered the United States legally in recent years, as the administration pushes a sweeping overhaul of immigration and vetting systems.
The shooting on Wednesday left Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, dead and critically injured Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, both members of the West Virginia National Guard deployed to Washington under President Donald Trump’s crime-fighting initiative. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan, was shot by another Guard member and taken into custody. Authorities later announced the FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism.
Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era program created to resettle Afghans who assisted U.S. forces during the war. He applied for asylum last year, and it was approved earlier this year under the Trump administration. According to AfghanEvac, a group assisting Afghan allies, Lakanwal had cleared multiple U.S. government background checks both before working with the CIA and before entering the United States.
But the shooting has prompted an immediate political backlash. President Trump called the attack a “terrorist act”, arguing that the Biden administration had enabled the entry of Afghans who posed security risks. Speaking on Fox News, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said there would be “many changes to come,” confirming that the charges against Lakanwal include first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
Within hours, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the suspension of all visas for individuals traveling on Afghan passports. “The United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people,” Rubio wrote. The Department of State later issued a formal statement confirming that visa processing for Afghans had been paused “immediately and until further notice.”
The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, followed by announcing that asylum decisions nationwide would be temporarily halted “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” Immigration experts note that the United States already maintains some of the world’s most rigorous background-check systems for asylum seekers, but critics say the administration has long planned to tighten restrictions and is now using the incident as a pretext.
“This policy punishes an entire community for the actions of one individual,” said Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac. “They are turning their own intelligence failures into an excuse to punish veterans and allies who served alongside American forces.”
Details emerging about Lakanwal paint a picture of a man who had struggled to adapt to life in the United States. He lived in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children. Neighbors described him as quiet, polite, and isolated, with limited English. A resident who identified himself as Lakanwal’s cousin said he had served in a CIA-backed Afghan Army Zero Unit in Kandahar beginning in 2012, eventually becoming a team leader and GPS specialist.
Local law enforcement officials executed search warrants in Washington state and other locations as they worked to trace Lakanwal’s movements. NBC News reported that he had struggled to find steady employment and briefly worked as an Amazon Flex contractor earlier this year before disappearing from his neighborhood two weeks ago.
As investigations continue, the administration is expanding its security posture in Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that President Trump ordered 500 additional National Guard members to the capital, bringing the total number of troops assigned to the city to nearly 2,200. Several governors are expected to contribute personnel in the coming days.
Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for Beckstrom, described by the West Virginia National Guard as a model soldier who “exemplified leadership, dedication, and professionalism.” A moment of silence was held in her honor on Saturday at West Virginia University’s football game in Morgantown.
As Washington tightens security and political tensions rise, critics warn the administration’s rapid policy shifts risk undermining long-standing refugee commitments. But officials insist there is no room for hesitation. “We will not endanger American lives,” Rubio said. “Every system must be re-evaluated.”
