The United States has halted the issuance of visas for all individuals traveling on Afghan passports, a decision announced Friday as the Trump administration intensifies immigration restrictions following a deadly attack on two National Guard members near the White House. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the suspension on X, describing it as an urgent security measure undertaken after Wednesday’s shooting in Washington, D.C. He stated that protecting public safety remains the administration’s highest priority.
Authorities have identified the suspected attacker as Rahmanaullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the United States under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome program. Investigators say he ambushed West Virginia National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, while they were on patrol near the White House. Beckstrom died from her injuries on Thursday evening, while Wolfe remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Lakanwal’s background has drawn increased scrutiny after the CIA confirmed he previously served with a CIA-backed unit in Afghanistan before relocating to the U.S. in 2021. On Friday, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced upgraded charges, including first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
Amid the fallout from the attack, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) revealed that it has frozen all asylum decisions until additional vetting measures are established. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said he has launched a comprehensive review of all green cards issued to immigrants from what the administration calls “countries of concern,” including Afghans admitted under Operation Allies Welcome.
President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Biden-era immigration policies in the wake of the shooting, labeling the incident a “terrorist attack.” He reiterated plans to reassess immigration pathways from 19 countries and stated that he intends to suspend migration from what he termed “Third World countries,” while also pursuing the removal of individuals deemed a threat to public safety or inconsistent with what he described as “Western values.” The administration has already enacted some of the strictest immigration measures in decades, including lowering the refugee admissions cap for 2026 to 7,500.
The combined visa freeze and asylum halt represent the administration’s most sweeping immigration actions since taking office in January. Thousands of Afghans awaiting visas or asylum decisions now face indefinite delays as federal agencies begin what officials describe as an extensive overhaul of vetting procedures. Secretary Rubio defended the measures as essential to protecting national security, while immigrant advocacy organizations warn that the new policies will leave vulnerable applicants stranded in unsafe conditions abroad.
