A day after two National Guard members were critically wounded in a shooting near the White House by an Afghan, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that the Trump administration is reviewing all asylum cases approved under former President Joe Biden.
“Effective immediately, processing of all immigration applications involving Afghan nationals is suspended indefinitely pending further review of security and screening protocols,” Reuters reported, citing a statement from department spokeswoman Tricia Mclaughlin.
“The Trump administration is also reviewing all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration, which did not vet these applicants on a massive scale.”
On Wednesday, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot and killed by the suspect — a 29-year-old Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal — who entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, and is currently facing three counts of intent to kill while armed.
President Trump, who has called Afghanistan a “hellhole on earth,” already planned to vet every Afghan who entered the country as part of Operation Allies Welcome, a goal he reiterated after Wednesday’s shooting.
“If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them,” Trump said in a message posted on social media, adding that the shooting was “a crime against our entire nation.”
Trump also used his message to attack refugees from Somalia who have settled in Minnesota, saying they are “breaking this once great state.”
The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington after the incident.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the United States is treating the White House as a terrorism investigation.
D.C. U.S. Rep. Jeanine Pirro said at a press conference earlier in the day that the lone gunman opened fire unprovoked, in an ambush fashion, armed with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver.
“He was driving his vehicle criss-crossing Washington state with the intended purpose of coming to our nation’s capital. The charges that are now in place are three counts of assault – with intent to kill while armed and a DC code violation. He will also be charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. We intend to see what the charges will be depending on the conditions of the guards,” Pirro said.
