The Afghan national suspected of shooting two security personnel near Washington DC on Wednesday could be putting his fellow Afghans' future in fulfilling their dream life in America at risk. According to a new report, all immigration applications from Afghan nationals are on hold following the suspected terror attack.
Trump Wants 'Rigorous' Reviews Of Afghan Nationals' Green Cards
Joseph Edlow, the Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, took to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday. He gave an update about the recent order he received from President Donald Trump following the shooting incident on Wednesday.
'At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,' he wrote.
Although he did not specify which country, it was obvious he was referring to Afghanistan. Per USA Today, the USCIS has already 'paused all immigration requests from Afghan nationals after the shooting.'
The Trump administration is taking immediate action. The outlet added that most international travel from Afghanistan to the USA had already been put on hold.
Trump issued a travel ban to 12 countries, including Afghanistan, in June 2025, for security reasons. The POTUS questioned Afghanistan's authority in issuing reliable passports since it is under the control of the Taliban.
However, some Afghan nationals were exempted. Those who arrived in the U.S. on Special Immigrant Visas for aiding the US military or serving as translators were among the exemptions.
At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.
— USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow (@USCISJoe) November 27, 2025
Afghan Nationals Waiting to Settle In the USA Are Devastated by the News
Thousands of Afghans fled to Pakistan to escape the Taliban. They have been waiting for their US visas to allow them to eventually settle in the United States. So, the recent news from the USCIS director broke their hearts as they felt that the Land of the Free had closed its doors on them.
Ahmad Samim Naimi, 34, a broadcaster and press officer, is among those who applied for resettlement in the USA. He left Afghanistan and moved to Pakistan when the Taliban started detaining journalists. The news that their application was on hold was like a nightmare for Naimi.
'I was deeply distressed when I heard this news. We have completed all the required review procedures,' he said (via Reuters).
Naimi said that he had no plans to return to his home country because if he did so, the next news the people would hear about him was probably his 'arrest' or 'death.'
Meanwhile, they have also struggled to remain in Pakistan due to the flood of Afghans seeking refuge in the country without proper documentation. Even Afghan nationals with proper visas and UNCHR papers have been blocked at checkpoints, forcibly evicted, or subjected to extortion.
Niami hopes the administration will reconsider those with P1 and P2 status. P1 applies to individuals who worked directly for the US government, and P2 is for individuals who were engaged in US-funded projects or served with media outlets, aid organisations, or civil society institutions.
Another Afghan from Kabul, who declined to share their name, was devastated about the freezing of their immigration applications. According to them, it diminished everything they had planned for their family. And just like Naimi, they don't feel going back to Afghanistan is an option, noting that they couldn't take that 'risk of destruction' for their family.
Why Did Trump Halt Afghan Nationals' Immigration Requests?
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was accused of shooting two National Guard members on Wednesday. He is an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 under the Biden administration.
He used to work for the US government and applied for asylum in 2024. Trump granted his request in April 2025.
However, the shooting incident raised alarms as he was suspected of being an asset of a terrorist group. The FBI has been investigating the shooting and treating it as a potential act of international terrorism.
