The United States has indefinitely suspended all immigration requests from Afghan nationals following a targeted shooting near the White House that critically injured two National Guard members. US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced an immediate halt on visa applications, asylum claims, and other pathways pending a full security vetting review.
The incident took place on November 26, 2025, when 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly opened fire on National Guard personnel just two blocks from the White House around 2:15 PM. Lakanwal was taken into custody after the daylight attack described by authorities as deliberate. He entered the US in September 2021 via Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome after the Taliban takeover. President Donald Trump branded it “an act of terror” and a “crime against our nation,” linking it to prior immigration policies.
President Trump requested the reexamination of all Afghan arrivals under the Biden administration and framed homeland security as the number one priority because of deployments of more National Guard troops to Washington, DC. “The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission,” the statement by USCIS said on X. This latest Trump rule extends earlier restrictions on travel by Afghan nationals and toughens the scrutiny of the post-2021 evacuees.
