After National Guard attack, Trump takes BIG action, Green cards from 19 countries under scrutiny, Will India be affected?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that all asylum cases granted under the Biden Administration will be reviewed.
Following the horrifying DC shooting, the United States has made a significant decision. US President Trump has announced that all green card holders arriving from 19 countries will undergo a new level of vetting requirements. The reason for this additional action from the federal government is in direct response to the heightened security risk following the shooting that occurred extremely close to the White House.
What prompted Trump to review green cards from 19 countries?
According to Joe Edlow, who is the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), this new vetting requirement will be “fully thorough and completely rigorous,” as directed by the President. The decision comes after a shooting incident that took place last Thursday, when an Afghan individual attacked two members of the National Guard, resulting in the death of one and leaving the other in critical condition.
Sharing a post on X(previously Twitter), Joe Edlow stated,” At the direction of @POTUS , I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”
Will India(BHARAT)n nationals be affected by this new policy?
“The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies. American safety is non negotiable,” the post further reads.
Who are the countries included in the ‘Countries of Concern’ list?
Will this decision affect individuals from India(BHARAT)? Well, the answer is a BIG no. When inquired about further specifics of which countries were included in the ” Countries of Concern,” USCIS provided CNN with the names of the 19 Countries identified in a June Presidential Proclamation. These 19 Countries Are: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela.
What does this mean for U.S. immigration and security policies going forward?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that all asylum cases granted under the Biden Administration will be reviewed. They have suspended the processing of Afghan National immigration requests while they finish reviewing their Security and Vetting Processes. The administration cited a “backlog and potential flawed vetting” as the reason for this step.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently investigating the attack and treating it as a “terrorism incident,” according to FBI Director Kash Patel. Furthermore, search warrants have been executed in numerous states.
While speaking to CNN, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.”
The incident involving the National Guard has added fuel to an already heated debate within American politics surrounding the issue of immigration, as well as security.
Lakanwal, who has prior employment with the U.S. government, including the CIA, came to this country in 2021 as part of Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome.” Former President Biden launched this operation to assist those who had supported the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan. He submitted his request for asylum in 2024 and was granted asylum by President Trump in April of 2025, according to CNN.
Trump denounced the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House, describing it as a “horrific assault” and “an act of terror,” as federal agencies continued to investigate the attack that took place a day before Thanksgiving. The deceased National Guard soldier has been identified as US Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who hailed from West Virginia.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The deceased National Guard soldier has been identified as US Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who hailed from West Virginia.
- Trump denounced the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House, describing it as a “horrific assault.”
- The shooting occurred at close range in central Washington, prompting a swift reaction from the administration.
- Authorities identified the accused as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who arrived in 2021.
The shooting occurred at close range in central Washington, prompting a swift reaction from the administration. Addressing reporters, Trump criticised former president Joe Biden’s earlier immigration policies, claiming the suspect had entered the United States from Afghanistan in 2021, and referring to the asian country as a “hellhole.”Authorities identified the accused as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who arrived in 2021. Officials believe he acted alone. Citing information from Homeland Security, Trump again noted that the suspect was Afghan
What's Your Reaction?
