Trump Exploits Tragedy to Overhaul Immigration Policy

The Trump administration has halted all asylum decisions and paused the issuance of visas for individuals traveling on Afghan passports, following a fatal shooting near the White House by an Afghan national who was granted asylum under the Biden administration. The move, announced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the State Department, marks a dramatic escalation in the administration's immigration crackdown, which has already included a broad review of refugees admitted during the Biden era. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 under Biden's Operation Allies Welcome program, opened fire on two National Guard members, killing one and critically injuring another.

The USCIS directive, signed by Director Joseph Edlow, mandates a comprehensive review and re-interview of approximately 233,000 refugees who arrived between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025, citing concerns over potential oversights in the Biden-era vetting process. The memo claims the prior administration prioritized speed over rigorous security screenings. Separately, the State Department paused visa issuance for all Afghan passport holders "indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols". These actions align with Trump's broader pledge to eliminate "aliens who do not belong here or add benefit to our country" and to reexamine green cards for immigrants from 19 countries.

Lakanwal's case has become a focal point for the administration's rhetoric. A former CIA-backed Afghan military contractor, he applied for asylum during Biden's tenure and was granted it in April 2025 under Trump's policies. Critics, including refugee advocates and Democratic lawmakers, argue that the move risks punishing innocent Afghans for the actions of one individual. Mark Hetfield of HIAS called the new vetting measures "unnecessary, cruel and wasteful," emphasizing that refugees undergo extensive screenings. Meanwhile, the Alliance of Afghan Communities in the U.S. condemned the decision to halt processing, warning it could destabilize the legal status of thousands of Afghans who meet U.S. legal requirements.

The administration's actions have drawn comparisons to Trump's broader immigration strategy, which includes slashing refugee caps and prioritizing "white South Africans of Afrikaner ethnicity" for admissions. The 7,500 refugee admissions cap for fiscal 2026 is a record low, reflecting the administration's focus on national security and assimilation criteria. However, experts note that U.S. asylum and refugee programs already include rigorous vetting, and backlogs have worsened under Trump's policies.

As investigations into Lakanwal's motives continue, the administration faces mounting pressure to balance security concerns with humanitarian obligations. The incident has reignited debates over immigration policy, with critics accusing Trump of exploiting the tragedy to advance a hardline agenda. The USCIS memo explicitly ties its actions to Trump's January executive order, which emphasized national security and the assimilation of refugees. For now, the indefinite pause on Afghan immigration and the review of Biden-era arrivals underscore the administration's commitment to a sweeping, if controversial, reordering of U.S. immigration priorities.