The Trump administration on Thursday ordered an extensive review of green card holders from 19 countries the government classifies as security concerns, announcing the move just one day after two National Guard members were ambushed near the White House.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the directive came directly from President Trump. In a statement on X, Edlow wrote, “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 added that safeguarding the country “remains paramount” and that the U.S. would not continue “the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies.”
The list of nations flagged for heightened screening was outlined in a June administration memo and includes Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Venezuela, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Burundi.
The decision follows Wednesday’s attack in downtown Washington, where National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot near the Farragut West Metro station. President Trump announced Thursday night that Beckstrom had died, while Wolfe remained in critical condition.
Authorities identified the suspected gunman as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era resettlement program for Afghans who had assisted U.S. forces during the war.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said her office is reviewing the suspect’s immigration record and the vetting conducted prior to his arrival. The administration later confirmed that Lakanwal was granted asylum this April, after Trump returned to office.
FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators are examining the suspect’s past ties to U.S.-partnered Afghan units, noting that “This subject had a relationship in Afghanistan with partner forces.” The CIA also confirmed he previously worked with a U.S.-supported team in Kandahar before the 2021 withdrawal.
Family members told NBC News that Lakanwal had served alongside U.S. Special Forces for a decade and was living with his wife and five children in Bellingham, Washington, before driving cross-country shortly before the attack.
In response, the Trump administration immediately suspended all pending immigration requests involving Afghan nationals. Homeland Security officials said they are also reviewing all asylum approvals issued under Biden-era policies and an earlier court settlement that sped up Afghan asylum processing.
Separately, the administration this week ordered USCIS to “re-interview” roughly 200,000 refugees who entered the United States in recent years—part of a broader effort to reassess vetting procedures. Officials indicated that refugee protections could be revoked if new concerns surface.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Lakanwal. He has been charged with multiple counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, though additional charges are expected following Beckstrom’s death.
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