President Donald Trump referred to as for a “re-examination” of all Afghan nationals who got here to the U.S. in the course of the Biden administration, hours after an Afghan man was named because the suspect within the taking pictures of two Nationwide Guard members in Washington, D.C.
Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem stated on X that the suspect got here to the U.S. in September 2021 underneath Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program designed to assist Afghans who assisted U.S. forces and have been dealing with a Taliban takeover.
“We should now re-examine each single alien who has entered our nation from Afghanistan underneath Biden,” Trump stated in an handle Wednesday evening during which he referred to as the taking pictures an “act of terror.”
Shortly after his remarks, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies stated it was halting the processing of immigration from Afghanistan to the U.S.
“Efficient instantly, processing of all immigration requests regarding Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending additional evaluation of safety and vetting protocols,” the company, often known as USCIS, stated on X.
The 2 Nationwide Guard members, who’re from West Virginia and deployed to Washington, have been shot by a gunman round 2:15 p.m. They have been in vital situation Wednesday, officers stated. The suspect was additionally shot — by whom was nonetheless underneath investigation — and was hospitalized, in accordance with police.
Authorities haven’t detailed a motive, if one is understood, however D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated that “this can be a focused taking pictures” and that the suspect appeared to focus on the guard members.
The suspect has been recognized as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, of Bellingham, Washington, 4 senior legislation enforcement officers briefed on the investigation informed NBC Information.
A relative of Lakanwal’s informed NBC Information on Wednesday that Lakanwal arrived within the U.S. in September 2021 after having served within the Afghan Military for 10 years, alongside U.S. Particular Forces.
Lakanwal was stationed at a base in Kandahar for a part of that point, the relative stated. He got here to the U.S. after the Taliban returned to energy following the August 2021 withdrawal of U.S.-led forces and finally settled in Washington state.
“We have been those that have been focused by the Taliban in Afghanistan,” the relative stated. “I can not consider it that he would possibly do that.”
A supply aware of the case and a separate legislation enforcement supply informed NBC Information that the suspect was granted asylum this 12 months.
Particulars of what a re-examination of Afghans already within the U.S. would appear to be, and who arrived in the course of the Biden administration, weren’t instantly clear Wednesday evening.
A Trump administration memo on Friday, seen by NBC Information on Tuesday, referred to as for a evaluation of all refugees admitted to the U.S. in the course of the Biden administration — which may have an effect on 200,000 folks.
The memo requires a “complete evaluation and a re-interview of all refugees admitted from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025,” together with U.S. inexperienced card holders. It cites a discovering by USCIS that the Biden administration “doubtlessly prioritized expediency, amount, and admissions over high quality interviews and detailed screening and vetting.”
The San Diego-based Afghan advocacy group #AfghanEvac, which works to make sure that Afghans who helped the U.S. aren’t deserted within the wake of the Taliban takeover, stated Wednesday’s taking pictures shouldn’t be used to punish Afghans within the U.S.
“Afghan immigrants and wartime allies who resettle in the USA bear a few of the most intensive safety vetting of any inhabitants coming into the nation,” Shawn VanDiver, the group’s president, stated in a press release.
“This particular person’s remoted and violent act shouldn’t be used as an excuse to outline or diminish a complete group,” he added.
The Division of Homeland Safety resettled greater than 80,000 Afghan refugees to the U.S. earlier than or instantly after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the following takeover by the Taliban. However many others who wished to go away have been left behind.
The State Division’s inspector common’s workplace stated in a June 2023 report that as of March of that 12 months, 152,091 Afghan “Particular Immigrant Visa” candidates in Afghanistan have been ready on processing. The visa is for Afghans who have been employed by or on behalf of the U.S.
Afghan immigrants and refugees, together with those that aided the American army throughout 20 years of conflict, have been all however barred from coming into the U.S. throughout Trump’s second time period.
On his first day in workplace, Trump signed an govt order suspending all refugee resettlement within the U.S. till admissions align “with the pursuits of the USA.” 1000’s of Afghan refugees, together with many who had already been authorized for U.S. resettlement, are stranded in Afghanistan, Pakistan and different nations, and in some instances they’ve been forcibly repatriated.
The Trump administration has additionally terminated protections that allowed Afghans to stay and work within the U.S. briefly due to harmful circumstances at residence. The White Home says the protections are not wanted as a result of it’s now secure to return to Afghanistan, which is experiencing a number of humanitarian crises and which Trump described as a “hellhole” in Wednesday’s handle.
Advocates say that Afghans who labored with the U.S. are susceptible to persecution, torture or dying in the event that they return to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and that they bear intensive vetting earlier than they arrive within the U.S.
Trump has stated he’s dedicated to serving to Afghans who labored with the U.S. army, saying in August that “we all know the great ones and we all know those that perhaps aren’t so good.”
