The US Citizenship and Immigration Services said late on Wednesday it has stopped processing all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals indefinitely, after two National Guard soldiers were shot and critically wounded in Washington.
US President Donald Trump said that the shooting near the White House was "an act of terror," saying the suspect came from Afghanistan in 2021.
The move follows Trump's call for his government to re-examine Afghan immigrants who entered the United States when Joe Biden was President.
"The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission," the US Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a post on X.
Two National Guard soldiers were critically wounded in a targeted shooting near the White House on Wednesday, prompting US immigration authorities to halt all Afghan-related processing indefinitely.
The suspect, an Afghan national who arrived under Operation Allies Welcome, was taken into custody after being shot during the ambush.
Two soldiers critically wounded
The attack unfolded around 2:15pm ET near the intersection of 17th and I streets -- just blocks from the White House and close to busy Farragut Square. The soldiers, members of the West Virginia National Guard, were conducting a high-visibility patrol when the shooter approached them from around a corner and opened fire.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said the assailant "ambushed" the troops. After an exchange of gunfire, nearby National Guard members subdued the shooter.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that both soldiers are in critical condition at local hospitals. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called it “a targeted attack,” and authorities said the shooter appeared to have acted alone.
Suspect identified as Afghan national resettled in 2021
Investigators identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national residing in Washington State. According to Trump administration officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
Lakanwal arrived in the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era initiative to relocate Afghans who assisted US forces and faced Taliban reprisals after the US withdrawal. He was processed through Washington Dulles International Airport on September 8, 2021.
Also Read: National Guard soldiers shot in 'targeted' attack near White House
He applied for asylum in December 2024 and was approved on April 23 of this year -- three months after President Donald Trump took office. Officials confirmed he had no prior criminal history.
The shooting sent office workers and pedestrians fleeing from Farragut Square, a popular lunchtime hub decorated with holiday wreaths and surrounded by restaurants and metro stations.
Political and security responses intensify
President Trump, speaking from his Florida resort in a prerecorded video, condemned the shooting as “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.” He said his administration will “re-examine” all Afghans who entered the US during Joe Biden’s presidency.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard soldiers to Washington, adding to the roughly 2,200 already deployed as part of the administration’s aggressive crime and immigration crackdown in Democratic-led cities.
Vice President JD Vance said the attack validates the administration’s hardline stance, writing on X that the country must “redouble our efforts to deport people with no right to be in our country.”
Critics, however, argue that the crackdown has used illegally harsh tactics and has ensnared immigrants indiscriminately—including those with legal status or no criminal record.
Flights briefly paused at Reagan National Airport
The shooting also disrupted air travel. The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily paused all arrivals at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport due to the location of aircraft involved in the emergency response.
The FAA said normal operations resumed shortly afterward. The brief ground stop came during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, the day before Thanksgiving.
