Trump orders 19 countries' Green Cards reexamination after Washington shooting
What's the story
The United States will reexamine all green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries, following a directive from President Donald Trump. The decision comes after the recent shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC. In an update on Friday, Trump said Sarah Beckstrom, one of the two troops shot by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, in an "ambush" attack, had died, while the other soldier was "fighting for his life."
Targeted nations
Countries under scrutiny include Afghanistan, Iran, Venezuela
According to Joe Edlow, the director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the 19 countries under scrutiny include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti and Iran. Others are Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The list also includes Burundi, Cuba, Laos and Sierra Leone. Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela are also on the list. These nations were identified as "of concern" in a June presidential proclamation.
Immigration freeze
Immigration applications from Afghanistan halted indefinitely
Since the shooting, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is also reviewing all asylum cases approved under former President Joe Biden. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin announced that processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals has been stopped indefinitely pending further review. Lakanwal came to the US in 2021 as part of Biden's "Operation Allies Welcome" after helping the US in Afghanistan. He had worked for the US government before, including the CIA, per CNN.
Political blame
Trump administration blames Biden for security threats
While he came to the US in 2021, he sought asylum in 2024, and the Trump administration approved it in April 2025, CNN also reported. In a video address, Trump blamed the Biden administration for bringing Lakanwal to the US and called it "the single greatest national security threat facing our nation." He also criticized what he called "20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners" who entered during his predecessor's administration.
Community response
Afghan community in US condemns shooting, calls for normal processing
The Alliance of Afghan Communities in the US condemned the shooting but also expressed concern over its impact on immigration processes for other Afghans. They said, "A single individual's crime must not jeopardize or obstruct the legal cases of thousands of deserving Afghans who meet all US legal requirements." According to the State Department, over 190,000 Afghans have resettled in the US since the military's withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.