US Suspends Afghan Immigration Processing Following National Guard Shooting

"...Fear, stress and worry have gripped the lives of thousands of Afghans living in the United States..."

"...leading the Trump administration to aggressively expand its efforts to crack down on legal immigration from Afghanistan..."

"...worries about people in his community being unfairly targeted by immigration officials..."

"...stopped having conversations with his passengers fearing possible hateful retribution..."

"...warning against 'turning this incident into a broad judgment about Afghan migrants'..."

"...expressed their condolences to the families of both National Guard members..."

"...criticized the shift in immigration policy based on the actions of one person..."

"...called the shooting 'an individual act' that 'has nothing to do with Afghanistan and its respectable people'..."

"...The problem is, why is it coming back to the larger community?..."

"...It’s like, somebody on your street commits a crime, and you take the whole neighborhood to jail..."

"...halted all asylum decisions for applicants from 19 countries deemed as 'high risk'..."

"...blamed Biden-era policies for allowing Lakanwal into the country..."

"...making every effort to ensure individuals becoming citizens are the best of the best..."

"...Citizenship is a privilege, not a right..."

"...We will take no chances when the future of our nation is at stake..."

"...sent a chilling wave of uncertainty among the more than 190,000 Afghans resettled in the United States since 2021..."

"...peppered with phone calls from community members in Oregon seeking answers..."

"...especially those in the process of reuniting with relatives left behind in Afghanistan during the chaos of the 2021 evacuation..."

"...asked not to be named out of fear his legal immigration may be jeopardized..."

"...I feel sad and worried that innocent Afghans might face more judgment..."

"...We just want peace..."

"...forced to flee his homeland after his safety and that of his family were under threat..."

"...Being a doctor is not something impossible here in the U.S., but it is very hard. It’s very difficult..."

"...most Afghans who came to the U.S. are searching for safety, opportunity and a better life..."

"...We all respect this country and its law, so when something like this happens, it makes the whole community feel sad and concerned..."

"...We are a part of this community. We are all sad, like all Americans..."

"...expressed concerns over their work authorizations since they’re tied to their legal immigration status..."

"...remain 'overwhelmingly law-abiding despite facing serious financial, psychological, legal, and social challenges'..."

"...Tens of thousands of newly arrived Afghans are working hard to rebuild their lives, study, work, volunteer, and integrate into American society..."

"...A single act should not be used to justify unnecessary restrictions on legal migration, to reinforce prejudice, or to push emotional, reaction-based policies..."

"...fears being targeted by immigration officials based on the actions of the suspected gunman..."

"...This is one bad person..."

"...The government should not treat us like we are all the same..."

"...horrified to learn that an Afghan who had also worked with U.S. forces was suspected of shooting the two National Guards members..."

"...It’s a terrible act..."

"...All of us from Afghanistan are very upset about what happened..."

"...feels safe after receiving assurances from some of his former Special Forces counterparts..."

"...Some of them have reached out to me and said, 'Don’t worry. We got you. There will be no issue for you guys'..."