The United States has suspended the processing of all immigration requests from Afghan nationals following a shooting incident in Washington, DC, involving an Afghan asylum-seeker. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly critically injured two National Guard members in an ambush-style attack on Wednesday. According to reports, Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 and was granted asylum earlier this year.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has halted the processing of all immigration requests related to Afghan nationals indefinitely, pending a review of security and vetting protocols. This decision comes after Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that the suspect was “an Afghan national who was one of the many unvetted, mass-paroled into the United States under Operation Allies Welcome” in 2021, during the Biden administration.
Operation Allies Welcome was a program that facilitated the urgent evacuation of Afghans following the Taliban’s takeover of the country in August 2021. Around 90,000 Afghans entered the US under this program and were allowed to remain in the country. However, a government audit in June 2025 found that 55 of the evacuees were either already on the terrorist watchlist upon arrival or were added afterward.
Former President Donald Trump has weighed in on the incident, claiming that the suspect “was flown in” under the Biden administration. Trump has called for a re-examination of all Afghans who entered the US under Operation Allies Welcome and emphasized the need to ensure the removal of any individual who does not belong in the country or add benefit to it.
The incident has raised concerns about the vetting process for asylum-seekers and the potential security risks associated with it. The US Department of Homeland Security has faced criticism for its handling of the evacuation and resettlement of Afghans, with some arguing that the process was rushed and inadequate. The suspension of immigration requests from Afghan nationals is likely to have significant implications for those seeking to enter the US from the country.
