The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indefinitely paused all Afghan immigration processing following a shooting near the White House that left two National Guard soldiers critically injured.
The attack occurred Wednesday afternoon around 2:15 PM ET at the intersection of 17th and I streets, just blocks from the White House and Farragut Square. The two soldiers, part of the West Virginia National Guard, were ambushed while on high-visibility patrol. Authorities confirmed that nearby National Guard members subdued the suspect after an exchange of gunfire.
The assailant, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national who arrived in the US in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era initiative to resettle Afghans who assisted US forces. Lakanwal had applied for asylum in December 2024 and was approved earlier this year. Officials noted he had no prior criminal record.
President Donald Trump called the shooting “an act of terror” and announced plans to review Afghan immigrants admitted during the Biden administration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an additional 500 National Guard troops have been deployed to Washington, adding to the existing 2,200 stationed in the city.
The attack also briefly disrupted flights at Reagan National Airport, though operations soon resumed. Critics warn that the government’s hardline immigration measures could unfairly impact lawful immigrants.
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