The United States has paused all immigration processing for Afghan nationals after an Afghan asylum seeker was identified as the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House. The attack, which left both soldiers in critical condition, has triggered an urgent federal review of security and vetting procedures.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed that the suspension will remain in place while authorities reassess screening protocols for recent Afghan arrivals. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, arrived in the country in September 2021 and had been granted asylum earlier this year. The Department of Homeland Security described him as “a criminal alien from Afghanistan”.
President Donald Trump condemned the attack as an “act of terror” and said his administration would move swiftly to remove foreign nationals “from any country who does not belong here”. He also ordered a fresh review of every Afghan who entered the US under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome programme, which relocated tens of thousands of Afghans following the 2021 withdrawal from Kabul.
Officials said the shooting occurred on Wednesday afternoon in downtown Washington, near Farragut Square. According to Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll, the suspect “came around the corner” and opened fire without warning, ambushing the soldiers who were on a high-visibility patrol. Other National Guard members nearby intervened and subdued the shooter, who sustained four gunshot wounds.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic, with people running for safety as gunshots echoed through one of the city’s busiest commercial corridors.
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In response, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that President Trump has requested an additional 500 National Guard personnel to reinforce security in the capital. Nearly 2,200 Guard members are already deployed as part of a broader federal effort to address what the administration has called rising crime in Democratic-led cities. Critics, however, say the deployments amount to federal overreach.
The shooting comes amid heightened political tension over immigration. Earlier this year, the administration imposed a travel ban on nationals from Afghanistan and several other countries, with limited exceptions for Special Immigration Visa holders who assisted the US military. The government has also ended temporary protected status for Afghan nationals, removing deportation safeguards for thousands.
The Taliban returned to power in 2021 following the US withdrawal.