Joseph Edlow, Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), announced on 28/11 that all asylum decisions would be paused. This halt will remain in effect until the agency can ensure that "all foreign nationals have been vetted and screened to the highest degree."

On the same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced an immediate halt to visa issuance for all Afghan passport holders. Rubio emphasized that "there is no higher priority than protecting the country and its people."

National Guard soldiers at the scene of the shooting in Washington, D.C. on 26/11. Photo: AFP

National Guard soldiers at the scene of the shooting in Washington, D.C. on 26/11. Photo: AFP

These stringent measures by the Trump administration follow an incident involving Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, who opened fire on two US National Guard soldiers on duty near the White House. One soldier died, and the other remains in serious condition.

Lakanwal arrived in the US in 9/2021, one month after the Taliban took control of Kabul and assumed power in Afghanistan. He had served in the Afghan military and assisted US special forces in combating the Taliban. The motive behind Lakanwal's ambush and shooting of the National Guard soldiers is currently unknown.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had declared a "permanent" halt to accepting immigrants from certain nations to allow the US system to fully recover. He also threatened to reverse millions of entry applications granted under his predecessor, Joe Biden, and to "deport anyone who does not genuinely benefit the United States or cannot love the United States."

By Ngoc Anh (Sources: ABC, Reuters, CBS)