Trump Administration Orders Review of Green Cards for Immigrants from Certain Countries Following D.C. Shooting

The Trump administration has announced a comprehensive review of green cards issued to immigrants from certain countries, following a recent shooting near the White House involving an Afghan national. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow stated that the directive came at President Trump's request.

The incident occurred on November 26, 2025, when two West Virginia National Guard members, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were critically injured in an ambush-style attack near the White House. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was wounded during the confrontation and is currently in custody.

Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program initiated during the Biden administration to resettle Afghans who had supported U.S. forces. He was granted asylum in April 2025. Prior to his arrival in the U.S., Lakanwal worked with a CIA-backed Afghan Army unit known as the Zero Units.

In response to the attack, President Trump condemned the shooting as an "act of terror" and announced plans to reexamine the immigration status of Afghan nationals admitted under the previous administration. He also ordered the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to bolster security measures.

The Department of Homeland Security has suspended the processing of all immigration applications from Afghan nationals indefinitely, pending a review of security and vetting procedures.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the motive behind the attack, with the FBI treating the incident as an act of terrorism. Lakanwal faces multiple felony charges, including assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.