The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has made a sudden decision to pause all immigration requests involving Afghan nationals, following an incident in Washington DC where two National Guard members were seriously injured in a shooting allegedly linked to an Afghan man.
In a statement on the social media platform X, USCIS announced an immediate suspension of processing all immigration requests related to Afghan nationals until further notice to reevaluate security and vetting procedures.
The agency emphasized that safeguarding the homeland and the American people is their top priority.
Rahmanullah Lakanwa, a 29-year-old Afghan national, has been identified as the suspect in the shooting of the National Defense guards on November 26, who are currently in critical condition in the hospital, according to FBI director Kash Patel as reported by the Express.
Lakanwa entered the U.S. in September 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program initiated by the Biden administration to evacuate and resettle thousands of Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan following years of conflict with the Taliban.
A family member of Lakanwa revealed to NBC News that the suspect had served with U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan before relocating to the U.S., having spent a decade in the Afghan Army, including time stationed at a base in Kandahar.
Former President Donald Trump criticized the Biden administration for Lakanwa’s entry, claiming he arrived in September 2021 on flights that were widely discussed but lacked transparency regarding the individuals onboard.
