The US has suspended the processing of all immigration requests for Afghan nationals pending a review of security and vetting protocols, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced.
In a post on X, the agency said: The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission.
The decision comes after two National Guard soldiers were critically injured in a shooting near the White House. The alleged gunman was an Afghan national who entered the US in September 2021.
US President Donald Trump described the incident as an act of terror and stated that actions will be taken to remove foreigners from the US who do not belong here.
Tens of thousands of Afghans entered the US under special immigration protections following the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
The alleged shooter has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who was admitted under a program known as Operation Allies Welcome.
In response to the shooting, Trump emphasized the need to reassess the immigration status of individuals who entered the US from Afghanistan under the previous administration.
This latest order adds to a travel ban imposed on nationals of Afghanistan and several other countries earlier this year. Afghan nationals holding Special Immigration Visas, designed for those who aided US military efforts prior to the Taliban's return to power, are among the few exceptions to these bans.
Earlier this year, Trump also ended a program that offered deportation protections, allowing migrants to secure work permits due to unsafe conditions in their home countries.
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