Trump Administration Reviews Green Cards for 19 Countries After Shooting Incident

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration has decided to reevaluate green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries deemed “of concern.” This decision follows a shooting incident in the city where two National Guard members were critically injured.

Joe Edlow, the director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), announced on Thursday that under President Donald Trump‘s direction, a comprehensive review of all green cards for immigrants from these countries will be conducted. The 19 nations include Afghanistan, Libya, Iran, and Venezuela among others.

In a statement, USCIS indicated that new vetting procedures will consider negative factors specific to each country, particularly their ability to issue secure identity documents. This move comes after authorities identified the shooting suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. in 2021.

Lakanwal applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted status earlier this year. Following the shooting, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an immediate halt to all immigration processing for Afghan nationals pending further security reviews.

Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, stated, “The Trump administration is reviewing all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration.” The agency is under scrutiny for a perceived lack of thoroughness in vetting immigrants under the previous administration.

The shooting occurred near Farragut Square, a busy area close to the White House, when Lakanwal allegedly opened fire on the guardsmen during their patrols. As local officials responded to the incident, Trump blamed the previous administration for allowing Lakanwal into the country and called for measures to address national security threats.

The Alliance of Afghan Communities in the U.S. condemned the shooting, insisting that one individual’s actions should not obstruct the immigration status of thousands of law-abiding Afghan immigrants.

More than 190,000 Afghans have resettled in the U.S. since the military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Advocates for immigrants and refugees are concerned that these new measures could further jeopardize the status of vulnerable populations.

Trump’s remarks asserting that there are “20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners” have sparked debates about the thoroughness of immigration processes and national security protocols.