Trump Orders Sweeping Green Card Review After White House Area Shooting
President Donald Trump has ordered a comprehensive review of green card holders from “countries of concern” and halted all immigration requests from Afghan nationals. The move follows a shooting incident near the White House that critically injured two National Guard members.
Key Developments
- Trump administration orders full review of green cards from “countries of concern”
- Indefinite halt on all Afghan immigration applications
- Two National Guard members in critical condition after shooting
- Suspect entered US through Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome program
US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow announced the policy shift on Thursday, November 27, though the specific countries designated as “of concern” were not immediately clarified.
“At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said.
Edlow stated that national security “remains paramount” and that Americans “will not shoulder the consequences of the previous administration’s reckless resettlement policies.”
Shooting Incident Triggers Policy Response
The immigration review comes after a shooting near the White House that left two West Virginia National Guard members—20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe—in critical condition.
Federal prosecutors identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome. The program was established during the Biden administration following the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Suspect Background and Immigration Status
According to officials, Lakanwal previously served with American troops in Kandahar as part of partner forces. He was admitted under the Biden administration’s 2021 Afghan resettlement program and was reportedly granted asylum this year.
Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed her office is examining the suspect’s immigration history and the vetting process that allowed his entry into the country.
The two injured National Guard members continue to receive treatment for their critical injuries as investigations into both the shooting and immigration policies continue.
