In brief
The US government has suspended all immigration processing for Afghan nationals as it reviews security and vetting protocols. This decision follows a critical attack by an Afghan national against National Guard soldiers near the White House, prompting President Trump to order a reassessment of foreign nationals who have entered the US since the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The US has suspended the processing of all immigration requests for Afghan nationals pending a review of security and vetting protocols, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced.
In a post on X, the agency said: The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission.
The decision comes after two National Guard soldiers were critically injured in a shooting near the White House. The alleged gunman was an Afghan national who entered the US in September 2021.
US President Donald Trump stated that the attack was an act of terror, adding that he would take steps to remove foreigners from any country who does not belong here.
Tens of thousands of Afghans entered the US under special immigration protections following the chaotic US withdrawal from the country in 2021 under former President Joe Biden.
Authorities later identified the alleged gunman as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the US under the program called Operation Allies Welcome.
Following the shooting, Trump announced that the US must now reevaluate every single alien who has entered the country from Afghanistan under Biden.
This latest order follows a travel ban imposed earlier this year on nationals from Afghanistan and 11 other countries.
Afghan nationals holding Special Immigration Visas, which are available to those who worked directly with the US military before the Taliban regained control in 2021, are among the few exceptions to the sweeping bans.
Earlier this year, Trump also ended a program that granted deportation protections for thousands of Afghans. This program allowed migrants to obtain work permits when it was deemed unsafe for them to return home due to war.
