The U.S. government announced on Thursday that it has indefinitely suspended all immigration and visa processing for Afghan nationals, following a shooting just blocks from the White House.
The halt, ordered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), affects visa applications, asylum requests and other immigration pathways for Afghan citizens. Officials described the pause as necessary while they conduct a full review of security and vetting protocols.
The decision came after a shooting on 26 November 2025 in Washington, D.C., in which two members of the West Virginia National Guard were critically wounded near the downtown metro station close to the White House.
In a video address, Donald J. Trump called the attack “an act of terror” and said his administration would re-examine all Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. under the previous government.
Shooting Near the White House: What Happened
On Wednesday afternoon, two West Virginia National Guard members on patrol were shot near the Farragut West metro station just two blocks from the White House complex. Both were critically injured.
Law enforcement quickly detained a suspect, later identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who reportedly entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Operation Allies Welcome resettlement program.
Officials describe the attack as a “targeted ambush,” though the motive remains under investigation. The suspect was also wounded and is now in custody.
In response, the administration ordered the deployment of an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., citing increased risk to national security.
