Hardline Push for Sweeping Vetting and Deportations Intensifies After National Guard Shooting

Hardline Push for Sweeping Vetting and Deportations Intensifies After National Guard Shooting

Washington hardliners are using last week’s shooting of two National Guard members to press the Trump administration for far-reaching changes to U.S. immigration policy. The alleged attacker — an Afghan national who had been granted asylum — has prompted calls for expanded screening, audits of past approvals, and even large-scale deportation plans that would affect millions of people.

What Officials Are Proposing

A range of proposals is being discussed inside and outside the administration, including:

• Mandatory in-person interviews for asylum applicants and a reimposition of stricter screening standards
• Expanded travel bans and a freeze on visa and asylum applications from Afghan nationals
• Audits of green cards issued to people from 19 countries and reviews of immigration benefits granted under the prior administration
• A controversial plan reportedly pushed by some National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) officials to deport roughly 2 million people who arrived under the Biden administration and require them to reapply from abroad
• Additional background checks intended to reveal potential ties to extremist groups

Administration Signals a Broad Review

An unnamed administration official told reporters to 'expect a full overhaul of all adjudications' and said the government is at 'a critical moment of vetting foreign nationals, not just those from typical countries of concern.' Since the shooting, the administration has frozen certain Afghan visa and asylum processing and announced audits of green cards from 19 countries.

'We need to screen and screen and screen some more because really and truly this is a tragedy beyond belief,' said West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice. 'If I were President Trump, I would say, ‘‘If you think there's a better way, then fix it.’’'

Details and Context

The alleged shooter, identified in reporting as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, reportedly entered the United States in 2021 on humanitarian parole and had his asylum application approved in 2025. Some officials initially accused previous administrations of inadequate vetting; others later characterized the vetting as insufficient. Reporting also notes Lakanwal worked with a CIA-backed paramilitary force in Afghanistan and that some accounts documented mental health concerns.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem (as cited in coverage) urged further action on social media, calling for expanded travel bans. Officials and allied intelligence voices say the incident provides impetus for a more systematic and resource-heavy review of immigration adjudications.

Contested Proposal: Mass Remeasure And Deportation

Two senior intelligence officials told reporters that staff at the NCTC have promoted a hardline plan to deport roughly 2 million people — mostly from Muslim-majority countries — who arrived under Biden and require them to reapply from abroad. One intelligence official declined to explain how the figure was calculated. Joe Kent, identified in this reporting as head of the NCTC, has publicly advocated retroactive vetting and removal of people he deems 'illegally admitted.'

Olivia Coleman, a spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, is quoted as saying the NCTC 'fully supports the mission to undo the damage caused by the previous administration’s lax vetting standards and get these monsters out of our country,' and that the agency will continue to 'identify individuals with terrorist ties, rigorously vet them, and equip DHS with the intelligence needed to remove these criminals.'

Supporters, Critics, And Legal Hurdles

Longstanding advocates for tighter legal immigration pathways have intensified calls for action, arguing that vetting under recent administrations was inadequate. A 2022 Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (OIG) report is cited as finding that officials 'did not always have critical data' to properly vet some Afghan refugees.

At the same time, some Republican lawmakers and outside analysts urge caution and insist more facts about the shooter and the vetting process are necessary before sweeping policy changes are enacted. Several proposed policy reversals — including some asylum rules from the previous Trump administration — previously faced court challenges and may again face legal hurdles.

What Comes Next

Officials say many ideas are still being floated. Senior White House staff have reportedly been briefed about the 2 million deportation proposal, but other intelligence officials caution that many options remain under discussion. For now, political momentum has intensified: calls for heightened vetting and possible large-scale removals are growing louder even as questions remain about logistics, legality, and oversight.

Key factual notes: Coverage cites claims and proposals from administration officials, intelligence sources, lawmakers, and advocacy groups. Some figures and proposals — notably the 2 million deportation estimate — were described by sources who declined to explain underlying calculations. The reporting also references quotes and social media posts from senior officials and spokespeople.