U.S. Suspends Afghan Visa Processing After National Guard Shooting
An Afghan national linked to U.S. military operations in Afghanistan is accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, prompting an immediate halt to Afghan immigration requests.
The United States has suspended all immigration processing for Afghan nationals after a shooting in Washington, D.C., in which two members of the U.S. National Guard were critically wounded.
Federal officials identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a twenty-nine-year-old Afghan citizen who had previously worked with U.S.-supported military units in Afghanistan.
The attack took place near Farragut Square in central Washington.
According to law enforcement authorities, the suspect opened fire with a .357 revolver shortly after two soldiers completed their swearing-in ceremony.
Both victims remain in critical condition, and the suspected gunman was also injured before being taken into custody.
In response, U.S. immigration authorities halted all Afghan visa and asylum processing.
The Department of Homeland Security announced a broad review of Afghan cases approved under earlier humanitarian programs, citing concerns about inadequate vetting.
President Donald Trump described the attack as an act of terror and said the suspect had entered the United States in 2021 under the evacuation program created following the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Federal officials noted that the visa freeze is indefinite and may affect thousands of Afghan citizens whose applications were already underway.
Supporters of the move argue it is necessary to protect national security, while critics warn it risks undermining the status of Afghan allies who worked alongside U.S. forces during the war.
As investigations continue, the incident has reignited political debate over the handling of post-war Afghan immigration and the balance between national security and commitments to former partners.
For now, Afghan applicants find themselves in limbo as Washington reassesses a policy shaped by two decades of conflict and the urgent evacuation that followed.
Federal officials identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a twenty-nine-year-old Afghan citizen who had previously worked with U.S.-supported military units in Afghanistan.
The attack took place near Farragut Square in central Washington.
According to law enforcement authorities, the suspect opened fire with a .357 revolver shortly after two soldiers completed their swearing-in ceremony.
Both victims remain in critical condition, and the suspected gunman was also injured before being taken into custody.
In response, U.S. immigration authorities halted all Afghan visa and asylum processing.
The Department of Homeland Security announced a broad review of Afghan cases approved under earlier humanitarian programs, citing concerns about inadequate vetting.
President Donald Trump described the attack as an act of terror and said the suspect had entered the United States in 2021 under the evacuation program created following the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Federal officials noted that the visa freeze is indefinite and may affect thousands of Afghan citizens whose applications were already underway.
Supporters of the move argue it is necessary to protect national security, while critics warn it risks undermining the status of Afghan allies who worked alongside U.S. forces during the war.
As investigations continue, the incident has reignited political debate over the handling of post-war Afghan immigration and the balance between national security and commitments to former partners.
For now, Afghan applicants find themselves in limbo as Washington reassesses a policy shaped by two decades of conflict and the urgent evacuation that followed.
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