US Halts All Afghan Immigration After DC Guard Shooting
Authorities said protecting the homeland remains the government's top priority
Washington, DC [US], November 27 (ANI): The United States has ordered an immediate and indefinite halt to all immigration processing for Afghan nationals, citing the need for a comprehensive review of security and vetting procedures. The suspension covers visa applications, asylum claims and all other immigration pathways for Afghans until the assessment is completed.
The decision follows a shooting near the White House on Thursday in which two National Guard personnel were injured. The attack was allegedly carried out by an Afghan national.
Authorities said protecting the homeland remains the government's top priority.
“Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” the statement said.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday identified an Afghan man who fled the Taliban as the suspect in the attack, calling the incident “an act of terror.”
In a video address, Trump linked the shooting to broader political themes: domestic military deployments, immigration policy and the legacy of America’s 20-year involvement in Afghanistan.
The daylight attack, which left two Guard members critically wounded just two blocks from the White House, was described by Trump as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror,” adding that it was “a crime against our entire nation.”
He confirmed that the suspect in custody “was a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan,” arriving in 2021 during the evacuation of Afghans after the Taliban takeover.
The shooting has renewed scrutiny of Trump’s deployment of military forces to Democrat-led cities, including Washington, Los Angeles and Memphis — a strategy facing lawsuits and criticism from local leaders.
Trump also signalled a harder line on immigration. “We must now reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan” under President Joe Biden, he said.
“We must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien… who does not belong here or add benefit to our country. If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them,” he added.
