US Halts Afghanistan Visa Processing Following Shooting

President Trump Addresses U.S. Troops On Thanksgiving From Mar-A-Lago

The United States’ Department of State has paused all visas for individuals travelling with Afghan passports following an attack on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday that resulted in the death of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and severe injury to Guardsman Andrew Wolfe. An Afghan National, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was arrested in connection with the shooting.

Immediate Visa Suspension

"The Department of State has IMMEDIATELY paused visa issuance for individuals travelling on Afghan passports," the agency stated in a tweet. The announcement emphasized that "The Department is taking all necessary steps to protect U.S. national security and public safety." Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded to the post on social media, asserting, “The United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people.”

Lakanwal entered the U.S. in 2021 and was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration. Despite this, Donald Trump has blamed the Biden administration for Lakanwal’s presence in the U.S., even though it was his own administration that approved the asylum.

When asked about the vetting process, FBI director Kash Patel refused to comment. Prior to arriving in the U.S., Lakanwal worked with the CIA "as a member of a partner force in Kandahar," according to John Ratcliffe, CIA Director, in a statement. On Friday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director Joseph Edlow announced that his agency had paused all asylum decisions to ensure the "safety of the American people."

“USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible,” Edlow said. He also called for a "full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern." There are currently 19 countries labeled as "high-risk" by the USCIS, including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Questions About Vetting Process

The arrest and subsequent visa restrictions have raised questions about why Lakanwal received a visa in the first place. Critics on both sides of the political spectrum are calling for an investigation into the vetting process used by the U.S. under Donald Trump. It was also revealed that prior to his arrival in the U.S., Lakanwal worked with the CIA "as a member of a partner force in Kandahar," according to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Trump claimed that, “He went cuckoo. I mean, he went nuts. It happens too often with these people. You see them. But look, this is how they come in, they’re standing on top of each other.” Lakanwal now faces charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Trump has promised to send 500 more National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., though it's unclear where the additional troops would come from.

Impact on the Administration

The shooting of Wolfe and Beckstrom has shaken the Trump administration over the past week. Just days ago, on November 27, Donald Trump snapped at a reporter who questioned Lakanwal’s vetting process, calling her “a stupid person.” Trump said, “Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person? They came in on a plane along with thousands of other people that shouldn’t be here, and you’re just asking questions because you’re a stupid person.”

Lakanwal came to the U.S. as part of the Biden-era program “Operation Allies Welcome,” which followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Lakanwal was not granted asylum until 2025, after Donald Trump was elected.

Reactions from AfghanEvac

Nonprofit group AfghanEvac criticized the visa suspension, calling the administration's decision a "violation of federal law." AfghanEvac President Shawn VanDiver released a statement on November 28, claiming the decision was unlawful, stating, "It appears Secretary Rubio is attempting to shut down the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program in direct violation of federal law and standing court orders. He is seemingly acting at the direction of President Trump and Stephen Miller, and there is no doubt this is the outcome they have been driving toward for months."

It remains unclear how the U.S. government will implement these new directives or how quickly it will happen. Donald Trump stated on Thursday, “You can’t get them out once they come in.” At least 400,000 people have been deported from the U.S. since Donald Trump took office.