The United States has suspended all immigration applications connected to Afghan nationals after a shocking shooting near the White House left two National Guard soldiers critically injured.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the indefinite halt late Wednesday, shortly after officials revealed that the suspected shooter—identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal—was an Afghan national who arrived in the US in 2021 under a special visa program for Afghans who had helped American forces during the war. Authorities say he overstayed his visa and was living in the country illegally.
President Donald Trump condemned the attack as an act of terrorism, stating that the suspect came from Afghanistan during the Biden administration. Following the incident, Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, bringing the total to roughly 2,700 as part of his ongoing crackdown on immigration and crime in Democrat-led cities.
The shooting unfolded around 2:15 p.m. ET near 17th and I Streets—just blocks from the White House—prompting a temporary lockdown. The two West Virginia National Guard soldiers were on a routine “high-visibility patrol” when the suspect allegedly ambushed them. An exchange of gunfire followed before other National Guard troops subdued the attacker.
Both soldiers remain in critical condition, while the FBI and local police continue investigating the incident as a terrorist attack. Officials say the shooter acted alone.
Witnesses described chaos near Farragut Square as people ran for cover after the gunfire erupted. Several bystanders attempted to aid the wounded soldiers until emergency crews arrived.
National Guard units have been stationed across Washington since Trump’s initial deployment in August—an action that drew heavy criticism from local leaders and Democrats. Despite Trump’s repeated claims that crime in the city has dropped, police data does not support this narrative.
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