Following the fatal shooting of a National Guard member in Washington, DC, the United States has paused all asylum decisions. Officials said they ordered the nationwide halt as part of a broader security review they launched after the attack involving an Afghan national.
The United States has paused all asylum decisions nationwide following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC, senior immigration officials confirmed on Friday.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the pause will continue until officers verify and screen all protection seekers with the highest level of scrutiny.
The announcement came hours after President Donald Trump said the US would “permanently pause migration” from what he called “third-world countries,” remarks that have already drawn concern from international agencies.
Fatal Shooting Sparks Sweeping Policy Response
One National Guard member died from injuries sustained in Wednesday’s attack, which authorities have attributed to an Afghan national.
USCIS instructed its officers not to approve, deny, or close asylum claims from applicants of any nationality, according to guidance reported by U.S. media. Officers may continue reviewing cases but must stop short of issuing decisions.
Officials have shared only limited details about the directive and Trump’s broader pledge to restrict migration. The president did not name which countries he plans to target, and observers expect the policy to face legal challenges.
The shooting appears to have accelerated the administration’s already hardline approach to immigration during Trump’s second term. His government has pursued mass deportations of undocumented migrants, sharply reduced refugee admissions, and moved to eliminate automatic citizenship rights for most people born on US soil.
Moves Targeting Afghan Applicants
Following the attack, the US suspended all immigration processing for Afghan nationals pending a review of security procedures.
USCIS also said it would reassess green cards issued to migrants from 19 countries, referencing a June White House proclamation. The list included Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela, though the agency did not clarify what the re-examination would involve.
Trump later vowed to end “all federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens,” claiming the measures would help restore “living conditions” for Americans. He also suggested refugees were contributing to “social dysfunction,” singling out Somali communities in Minnesota.
In his statement, the president used the term ‘third world,’ a phrase widely seen as outdated and historically applied to developing nations.
UN Urges US to Uphold Refugee Commitments
The United Nations has called on the United States to meet its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention. A spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General said all countries must honor their international commitments.
Immigration advocates condemned the administration’s response, with AILA president Jeremy McKinney saying officials were wrongly placing blame on migrants. He said investigators still do not know the motive for the attack and emphasized that mental health struggles or radicalization can occur in any community.
Suspect Entered the US Through the Special Afghan Program
Officials identified the shooting suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who arrived in the US in 2021 under a special immigration initiative for Afghans who worked alongside American forces during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Lakanwal previously served in a “Zero Unit”—an Afghan paramilitary and intelligence team that worked closely with the CIA, according to former Afghan security officials. The CIA director confirmed that Lakanwal had worked with the agency.
US officials said he was vetted during his service and again before entering the country. Friends told US media that Lakanwal had been dealing with mental health difficulties linked to his past service. He applied for asylum in 2024, and authorities granted him protection earlier this year, although his green card request is still pending.
Lakanwal was arrested after the shooting and is reportedly refusing to cooperate with investigators. President Trump has described the attack as an “act of terror.”
National Guard Members Identified
The officer who died was identified as 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia. She was in Washington as part of Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to combat crime during the Thanksgiving period.
A second service member, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, remains hospitalized and in critical condition, according to the president.
