The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has put a temporary stop to processing immigration applications involving Afghan individuals, following an incident in Washington DC where an Afghan man was linked to a shooting that left two National Guard members severely wounded.
In a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), USCIS announced an immediate suspension of all immigration requests concerning Afghan nationals until further security and vetting measures are reviewed.
Emphasizing the agency’s commitment to safeguarding the nation and its citizens, USCIS stated, “The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our primary focus.”
Rahmanullah Lakanwa, identified as the alleged shooter of the two National Defense guards on November 26, is an Afghan national. The victims, who were on duty during the targeted attack, are currently in critical condition in a hospital, according to FBI director Kash Patel as reported by the Express.
Lakanwa, 29 years old, entered the U.S. in September 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program initiated under the Biden administration to evacuate and resettle thousands of Afghans following the end of the nearly two-decade conflict with the Taliban.
NBC News reported that a relative of Lakanwa revealed the suspect’s background serving alongside U.S. Special Forces troops in Afghanistan before relocating to the U.S. Lakanwa had a decade-long stint in the Afghan Army, including time stationed at a base in Kandahar.
Commenting on the incident, former U.S. President Donald Trump attributed blame to the Biden administration, stating, “He was flown in by the Biden administration in September 2021 on those infamous flights that everybody was talking about. Nobody knew who was coming in, nobody knew anything about it.”