Trump Administration Initiates Green Card Review Following National Guard Fatality

A tragic event in Washington, D.C., prompted an immediate and decisive response from President Donald Trump’s administration concerning the nation's immigration policies. On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, members of the National Guard, deployed to the capital to address what was termed a "crime emergency," came under sudden attack in the vicinity of Farragut Square.

This assault, which President Trump later labeled an "act of evil," resulted in the death of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, aged 20, who succumbed to her injuries the following day, Thursday, November 27, 2025. Simultaneously, Staff Sergeant Andrew Woolf, 24, remained in critical condition following the incident. The alleged assailant, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmmanullah Lakanwal, was apprehended after sustaining injuries during his capture.

Lakanwal’s presence in the United States was facilitated by the “Operation Allies Welcome” program, initiated by the administration of Joe Biden in September 2021 to evacuate Afghans who had aided U.S. efforts. Significantly, Lakanwal’s application for asylum had been approved by the Trump administration back in April 2025. Reports indicate that Lakanwal previously held a position within elite Afghan units that had received training from the CIA.

In direct reaction to the incident, which the President attributed to the "irresponsible migration policies of the past," Donald Trump announced a series of stringent measures on Friday, November 28, 2025. He declared an indefinite halt to migration from a group of so-called “Third-Tier countries” and pledged to terminate the "illegal admissions put in place by Biden." Furthermore, under direct presidential instruction, Joseph Edlow, the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), commenced a "full-scale, meticulous re-evaluation" of all green cards issued to foreign nationals originating from 19 specific "countries of concern."

USCIS subsequently clarified that the list of scrutinized nations includes Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Venezuela, Cuba, and Turkmenistan, among others. These 19 countries were previously subject to entry restrictions outlined in a presidential proclamation issued in June. Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, indicated that charges against Lakanwal would likely be elevated to first-degree murder.

Against the backdrop of this high-profile event, USCIS also implemented a temporary stop on processing all immigration requests originating from Afghan citizens pending the conclusion of the updated security protocol review. This swift administrative action underscores the administration's intent to overhaul existing vetting procedures in light of the fatal attack on deployed National Guard personnel.