The United States has suspended the processing of all immigration requests from Afghan nationals after a shooting incident in Washington, DC involving an Afghan asylum‑seeker. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly ambushed and critically injured two National Guard members on Wednesday. Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 and was granted asylum earlier this year.
In response, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indefinitely halted the processing of all immigration requests related to Afghan nationals while it reviews security and vetting protocols. The decision follows comments from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who described the suspect as “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 after the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. Approximately 90,000 Afghans entered the United States 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 called for a re‑examination of all Afghans who entered the United States through Operation Allies Welcome and emphasized the need to remove any individual who does not belong in the country or add benefit to it.
The incident has heightened concerns about the vetting process for asylum‑seekers and the potential security risks involved. The 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 United States from Afghanistan.
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