The United States has “immediately” paused issuing visas to individuals traveling on Afghan passports, a sweeping move announced Friday as the Trump administration tightens immigration rules following a deadly attack on two National Guard members near the White House.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the suspension in a post on X, saying visa issuance had been paused for all individuals travelling on Afghan passports. He framed the decision as a necessary step to protect “public safety” after Wednesday’s shooting in the US capital.

President Trump’s State Department has paused visa issuance for ALL individuals traveling on Afghan passports.

The United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people. https://t.co/HuR1Lj7F9t
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) November 28, 2025

Authorities have named Rahmanaullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the US under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome, as the suspected attacker. He allegedly ambushed West Virginia National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, while they were on patrol near the White House.

Beckstrom died from her injuries on Thursday evening, while Wolfe remains in critical condition.

Suspect’s background and upgraded charges

The CIA confirmed this week that Lakanwal previously worked for a CIA-backed unit in Afghanistan before relocating to the US shortly after the 2021 withdrawal of Western forces.

On Friday, US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced that charges against Lakanwal had been upgraded to first-degree murder, along with two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.

Also Read: Accused National Guard attacker faces US murder charge

The attack has prompted intense scrutiny of Afghan immigration pathways, particularly programs created for Afghans who assisted US forces during the war.

US freezes asylum decisions

In a parallel move, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it had halted all asylum decisions “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible,” according to agency director Joseph Edlow.

Edlow added that he had initiated a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination” of every green card issued to immigrants from “countries of concern,” following direct orders from Trump. The review includes Afghans who arrived through Operation Allies Welcome.

Also Read: US to permanently pause migration from 'third world countries'

US immigration authorities also confirmed Friday that all asylum rulings have been paused for the foreseeable future.

Trump escalates immigration restrictions

President Donald Trump, who labeled the Washington shooting a “terrorist attack,” has spent recent days attacking former president Joe Biden’s immigration policies — particularly those that allowed Afghan partners who worked with US forces to resettle in America.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he intended to re-examine all green card applications from 19 “countries of concern” and planned to suspend immigration from “all Third World countries.”

Also Read: Ambush in US capital: National Guard member dies

He did not define the term, though it is often used as shorthand for developing nations in the Global South.

Trump further vowed to “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States”, claiming he would denaturalize migrants who “undermine domestic tranquillity” and deport any foreign national deemed a public charge or “non-compatible with Western civilization.”

Since returning to office in January, Trump has moved aggressively to restrict immigration, including announcing in October that the US would accept only 7,500 refugees in 2026 — the lowest ceiling since 1980.

Afghan visa freeze adds new pressure

The back-to-back announcements from the State Department and USCIS mark the most significant escalation yet in the administration’s immigration crackdown. The sweeping freeze affects thousands of Afghans abroad seeking visas, as well as asylum seekers already in the system.

Also Read: US stops Afghan immigration processing after National Guard ambush

Rubio defended the measures, emphasizing that “the United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people.”

As the investigation into the DC attack continues, federal agencies are preparing for a prolonged and intensified review of Afghan immigration cases — a shift already sending shockwaves through migrant communities and advocacy groups.