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US Pauses All Asylum Decisions After Alleged Guard Shooting; Administration to Review Green Cards

The US has paused all asylum decisions after an alleged shooting near the White House that killed one National Guard member and critically injured another. USCIS says asylum rulings are suspended while vetting is intensified, and officials will review green cards tied to 19 countries. Authorities identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the US via a resettlement program after the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.

02:06 PM, 11/29/2025Politics

US officials announced a temporary halt to all asylum decisions following an alleged shooting near the White House that left one National Guard member dead and another critically injured. Authorities say the move is intended to allow tighter vetting of migrants while investigators pursue the case.

What officials say

Joseph Edlow, director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), said the agency has "halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible." The administration also signaled plans to reexamine green cards issued to people born in a group of 19 countries that are already subject to enhanced travel restrictions.

Separately, a senior administration official said the State Department had temporarily stopped issuing visas to holders of Afghan passports. "The United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people," the official said.

The suspect and charges

Authorities identified 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal as the alleged shooter. Officials said he had been part of a CIA-supported partner force that fought the Taliban in Afghanistan and came to the United States through a resettlement program after the 2021 withdrawal.

Local prosecutors have announced murder charges in the case; they said one National Guard member, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, died of her injuries. A second guard, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, was reported in critical condition. Prosecutors indicated they may seek the most serious penalties available under the law.

Impact and reactions

The shooting has intensified debate over immigration policy, the use of military forces on US soil and the long-term consequences of the Afghanistan withdrawal. The administration's move to pause asylum decisions and review millions of residency records has drawn criticism from refugee-resettlement groups and advocates who say it risks penalizing many law-abiding migrants for the actions of an individual.

"They are using a single violent individual as cover for a policy they have long planned," said Shawn VanDiver, president of an Afghan resettlement group, arguing that evacuees underwent extensive security vetting.

Scope of review

US immigration data indicate that more than 1.6 million green card holders—roughly 12% of the permanent resident population—were born in the 19 countries referenced by officials. Afghanistan alone accounts for over 116,000 green card holders. Officials say the review will determine whether additional screening is needed.

Investigations into the shooting are ongoing. Authorities have said they will provide updates as new information becomes available.

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