US Halts Afghan Immigration Processing

The US has suspended all Afghan immigration requests following a White House shooting by a recently arrived asylum seeker, prompting a review of security vetting and immigration policies.

The United States has halted all immigration requests from Afghan nationals after authorities identified a 29-year-old Afghan man, who arrived under the Operation Allies Welcome programme and was granted asylum earlier this year, as the suspect in a shooting that critically injured two National Guard soldiers near the White House on Wednesday.

Officials from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services said the suspension will remain in place while security and vetting protocols are thoroughly reviewed. President Donald Trump described the incident as an “act of terror” and vowed to remove foreigners “from any country who do not belong here.”

Witnesses at the scene recounted scenes of chaos as soldiers intervened to subdue the suspect, who was later reported to have sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The attack has prompted a swift response from federal authorities and sparked renewed debate over the screening and monitoring of immigrants arriving under special humanitarian programmes.

Experts note that the suspension underscores how a single violent act can trigger rapid shifts in national immigration policy, highlighting the delicate balance between humanitarian obligations and domestic security.

The Department of Homeland Security has not specified how long the pause on Afghan immigration will last, but the review is expected to influence future policies under the programme that has resettled tens of thousands of Afghans since the US withdrawal from the country in 2021.