The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have made an immediate decision to pause all immigration proceedings involving Afghan individuals, in response to an Afghan man allegedly involved in a shooting in Washington DC, resulting in critical injuries to two National Guard members.

The USCIS, through a statement on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), announced the indefinite suspension of processing immigration requests for Afghan nationals, pending a thorough review of security and vetting procedures.

Emphasizing the paramount importance of protecting the homeland and American citizens, the agency reiterated its commitment to ensuring safety and security.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwa, identified as the alleged shooter of the National Guard members on November 26, remains under scrutiny. The victims, currently in critical condition, were targeted during the attack, as confirmed by FBI director Kash Patel, according to reports from The Express.

Lakanwa, 29 years old, arrived in the U.S. in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program initiated during the Biden administration to evacuate and resettle numerous Afghans following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, concluding a long-standing conflict with the Taliban.

A family member of Lakanwa disclosed to NBC News that the suspect had served alongside U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan before relocating to the U.S. They revealed his decade-long service in the Afghan Army, including time at a base in Kandahar.

Former President Donald Trump attributed the attack to the Biden administration, citing Lakanwa’s arrival in September 2021 on flights that were subject to controversy and lack of transparency.

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