Trump Halts Immigration From 19 ‘High Risk Countries’ Following National Guard Shooting

The Trump administration has paused the processing of all immigration applications for individuals from 19 “high risk countries” following the shooting of two National Guard troops by an Afghan national while they were patrolling Washington, D.C., last week.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services directed personnel to stop the decision-making process for immigration applications for anyone from the countries “of concern,” according to a Tuesday agency memo. The new guidance extends to immigrants slated to receive a Green Card or citizenship.

Some immigrants from the targeted countries have already received the dates of their naturalization ceremonies, which are being cancelled, according to Fox News. Meanwhile, the Trump administration will launch a “re-review” of asylum-seekers who entered the U.S. after former President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.

“This order aims to safeguard U.S. citizens from aliens who may seek to commit terrorist acts, pose threats to national security, promote hateful ideologies, or exploit immigration laws for malicious purposes,” the memo stated.

The new rules apply to immigrants from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, countries that were targets of travel restrictions enacted in June.

President Donald Trump has recently taken steps to shut down immigration pipelines following the D.C. shooting by Afghan migrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, who was brought to the U.S. through the Biden administration’s “Operation Allies Welcome,” which brought over 77,000 Afghans following the botched withdrawal of American troops.

The Afghan man received asylum in April, according to CBS News.

West Virginia National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom, 20, tragically died from the wounds she sustained in the attack. Her colleague, Andrew Wolfe, 20, continues clinging to life.

The Biden administration justified Lakanwal’s entry to the U.S. over his past work for American government agencies operating in Afghanistan, including the CIA, agency Director John Ratcliffe revealed last week.

The Trump administration immediately responded to the attack by “halting” asylum decisions and stopping the issuance of visas to Afghans.