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US Orders Full Review of Green Cards for Nationals of 19 ‘Countries of Concern’ After White House-Area Shooting

USCIS will conduct a comprehensive reexamination of all green cards held by nationals of 19 countries designated as "countries of concern," Director Joseph Edlow said, acting at President Trump's direction. The move follows a shooting near the White House in which one National Guard member was killed and another critically wounded; authorities say the suspect is an Afghan national resettled under Operation Allies Welcome and granted asylum earlier this year. The administration has paused Afghan-related immigration requests and deployed additional troops to Washington while investigations and vetting reviews continue.

09:39 AM, 11/28/2025Security
US Orders Full Review of Green Cards for Nationals of 19 ‘Countries of Concern’ After White House-Area Shooting

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a comprehensive reexamination of every permanent resident card issued to nationals of 19 countries the administration designates as "countries of concern." USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the review was launched at President Donald Trump's direction and described it as "full scale" and "rigorous," saying the agency's top priority is protecting the nation.

The agency pointed reporters to a presidential proclamation issued in June that lists 19 countries it considers deficient in screening and vetting; that list includes Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran and Venezuela.

The announcement followed a shooting near the White House that left one National Guard member dead and another critically wounded. President Trump called the incident an "act of terror" and ordered additional National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.

Federal prosecutors say the suspect is an Afghan national who was resettled in the United States under Operation Allies Welcome after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Sources identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal. Authorities report he arrived in September 2021 and was granted asylum in April of this year. The U.S. attorney's office in the District of Columbia said it is reviewing his immigration history and the vetting that allowed his entry.

A CIA spokesperson said the alleged shooter "previously worked with the USG (U.S. government), including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar that ended in 2021 following the withdrawal from Afghanistan."

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the attack "appeared to be targeted" at the Guard members, but authorities have not publicly established a motive. In response to the incident, the administration announced an indefinite pause on immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals.

Scope and implications: USCIS has not published details about the procedures, timeline or criteria that will be used in the reexaminations. The agency said the effort will review each green card issued to nationals from the designated countries; officials have indicated follow-up actions could include revocations or additional security checks where problems are found. Legal experts say a broad review of green cards raises complex legal and logistical questions about due process and how long reviews may take.

The investigation into the shooting and the corresponding immigration review are both ongoing. Officials have emphasized that while security is the stated rationale, details about how individual cases will be handled and what safeguards will protect lawful permanent residents have not yet been released.

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