The Trump administration has halted all asylum decisions following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington DC, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director has said.
Joseph Edlow stated that the pause would remain in effect until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible. This decision follows President Donald Trump's vow to permanently pause migration from all third world countries.
The shooting incident, which occurred on Wednesday, left one soldier dead and another critically injured, with authorities alleging that an Afghan national is the perpetrator.
While the latest directive specifically targeted Afghans seeking to enter the US, it also has wider implications, as USCIS has been instructed to neither approve nor deny asylum applications for all nationalities, according to CBS News.
Although USCIS officers can still process and review asylum applications, they are not allowed to make final decisions during this pause. The specifics of the recent directive remain unclear, as Trump did not indicate which countries would be affected by the migration halt, a move that could be met with legal challenges.
The administration's stance towards immigrants is further intensified, reflecting a more hardline position during Trump's second presidential term. Among several aggressive policies, Trump is pushing for mass deportations and reductions in refugee admissions while seeking to end automatic citizenship for many born in the US.
In immediate response to the shooting, the administration also suspended all immigration requests from Afghans until a review can be completed.
Furthermore, it has been reported that the USCIS will reassess green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries, referencing a proclamation that included nations such as Afghanistan, Cuba, and Haiti.
Trump has attributed social dysfunction in America to refugees, indicating that he plans to remove anyone deemed not beneficial to the US, citing a perceived overwhelming situation in Minnesota from Somali refugees.
The shooting suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, arrived in the US in 2021 through a program that afforded protections to Afghans working with US forces prior to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. This raises further questions about the vetting process employed by the US government.
Lakanwal was reportedly linked with prominent Afghan intelligence units, with assertions that he received mental health evaluations due to the trauma from his service. His application for a green card is currently pending.
The swift actions taken by the Trump administration in light of this incident underscore the ongoing debate surrounding immigration policy and national safety.
