By Stephen — Dalena Reporters
November 27, 2025
WASHINGTON — In a sweeping move following a deadly shooting in the U.S. capital, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Wednesday that it is immediately suspending all immigration processing for Afghan nationals indefinitely. The decision comes hours after two members of the National Guard were critically wounded in a targeted attack near the White House — an incident that the government labelled an “act of terror.
The suspect identified in the shooting is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 under the evacuation initiative that followed the fall of Kabul. Lakanwal was taken into custody at the scene.
In a post on the social-media platform X, USCIS said the halt on Afghan immigration is “pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” adding that “the protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission.
Donald Trump — in a video address soon after the announcement — described the shooting as a heinous assault and called for a full reevaluation of all Afghan immigrants admitted under the previous administration. He pledged to “take all necessary measures” to ensure no alien “who does not belong” remains in the country.
The attack has reignited heated debates over the security implications of large-scale refugee resettlement, in particular evacuees arriving during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 under the Operation Allies Welcome program.
As the indefinite suspension takes effect, thousands of Afghans with pending immigration or asylum applications face an uncertain future, while law-enforcement agencies begin a broader review of vetting procedures for past and future cases. Dalena Reporters will continue to monitor reactions from U.S. immigration authorities, civil-rights groups, and international refugee advocates as events unfold.