US Pauses Afghan Immigration Following Shooting in Washington

The United States has paused the processing of Afghan immigration applications after a shooting in central Washington left two National Guard soldiers critically injured.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the suspension following the identification of an Afghan man as the suspect in Wednesday’s attack near the White House. Authorities named the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, who arrived in the US in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a programme created to resettle Afghans who supported American forces during the withdrawal from Kabul. 

The Department of Homeland Security said he applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted protection earlier this year. Officials described him as a “criminal alien from Afghanistan”. The attack occurred shortly after 2 pm near Farragut Square, a busy area close to the White House. 

According to the Metropolitan Police, the suspect approached two soldiers on patrol and opened fire without warning. Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll described the incident as an ambush. 

Other National Guard members intervened and restrained the gunman until police arrived. Witnesses reported scenes of panic as office workers and commuters sought cover. Both soldiers and the suspect received medical treatment at the scene, and law enforcement officials confirmed that the assailant was shot multiple times.

President Donald Trump condemned the shooting as “an act of terror” and ordered a full review of all Afghans admitted under Biden-era resettlement programmes. He said that every Afghan who entered the US under the previous administration would be re-examined. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth authorised the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, increasing the total to nearly 2,200.

The National Guard, a reserve force with limited policing powers, has been stationed in the capital since August to respond to what the administration has described as rising crime. Officials report a decline in overall crime since the deployment, though critics have raised constitutional concerns about using military personnel in domestic law enforcement. 

Similar deployments in other Democratic-led cities have faced legal challenges.

Pausing Afghan immigration applications marks another tightening of US migration rules. Earlier this year, Trump introduced a travel ban affecting Afghanistan and 11 other countries, with only narrow exemptions for holders of Special Immigrant Visas. 

He also ended Temporary Protected Status for Afghan nationals, which had allowed thousands to remain in the US with work authorisation due to instability in Afghanistan. The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 has left many Afghans fearing persecution, making these measures particularly significant.

The shooting has renewed debate over national security and US commitments to Afghans who assisted American forces. Tens of thousands of Afghans were relocated to the US after the evacuation from Kabul, including interpreters, aid workers and others who supported military operations.