US Halts Afghan Immigration After Guard Shooting

The US has halted all Afghan immigration requests after an Afghan man, admitted under Operation Allies Welcome, was identified as the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House.

sarah

Nov 27, 2025 - 18:52

US Halts Afghan Immigration After Guard Shooting

The US has halted processing all immigration requests from Afghans after an Afghan man was identified as the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services said the decision was made after a review of "security and vetting protocols."

The suspect in Wednesday's shooting, which seriously injured two National Guard members, is said to have arrived in the US from Afghanistan in September 2021.

US President Donald Trump called the attack an "act of terrorism" and said he would "take steps to deport foreigners from any country who do not belong here."

Following the chaotic US withdrawal from the country in 2021 under former President Joe Biden, thousands of Afghans entered the US under special immigration protections.

In a press release, the Department of Homeland Security identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a "criminal alien from Afghanistan."

It stated that Lakanwal entered the US in September 2021, during Joe Biden's presidency, as part of a program for Afghans called Operation Allies Welcome.

At that time, the Taliban had regained control of Afghanistan following the chaotic withdrawal of US forces.

Lakanwal, 29, is reported to be uncooperative with authorities.

Trump said after the shooting that the US "must now re-examine every foreigner who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden."

Troops were on high-visibility patrol near the corner of 17th and 1st Streets—a busy lunch spot for office workers.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said the suspect "appeared around a corner" and "immediately began firing," adding that the soldiers were "ambushed."

He said other National Guard members nearby heard the gunfire and intervened, holding the suspect down until police arrived. A witness told the BBC how they heard the gunfire, as people panicked and ran for cover in a nearby shop.

Another witness, who was in his car near the metro station, showed the footage of two soldiers lying in their uniforms on the street being treated by medics. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the soldiers.

A third person, possibly the gunman, was also seen being treated on the sidewalk.

Following the attack, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the president had asked him to send 500 more National Guard members to the US capital.

The Pentagon chief said, "This further solidifies our commitment to making Washington, DC, safe and beautiful."

There are currently approximately 2,200 National Guard troops in the city.

They are a reserve force that can be activated to serve as military troops, but they have limited powers because they cannot enforce the law or make arrests.

According to Trump, the troops were deployed in August to combat "out-of-control" crime in Washington.

Since the deployment, overall crime in the city has decreased, which Trump credits to the presence of troops on the streets.

Similar deployments have been made in other Democratic-run cities across the US, which have faced legal challenges from opponents who accuse the Trump administration of overreach.

Trump imposed a travel ban on citizens of Afghanistan and 11 other countries earlier this year.

Afghan citizens holding special immigration visas—available to those who had worked directly with the US military and feared retaliation from the Taliban because of that cooperation—were among the few exceptions to the broader ban.

The Taliban returned to power after the US withdrawal in 2021.

Trump also ended a program that provided deportation protection to thousands of people from Afghanistan.

The Temporary Protected Status program allowed migrants to obtain work permits if the US government deemed it unsafe for them to return to their country due to the war.