US President Donald Trump announced that the pause on asylum decisions will continue for an indefinite period following the fatal shooting of two National Guard members near the White House. One guard, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, was killed, and another was critically injured.
The alleged shooter, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Lakanwal, who fought the Taliban as part of a CIA-supported unit in Afghanistan, entered the US through a resettlement program after the American military withdrawal in 2021. He was granted asylum in April 2025.
President Trump stated the freeze aims to halt migration from certain countries, claiming, “We don’t want those people… many have been no good, and they shouldn’t be in our country.” The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the restrictions currently target 19 nations, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, and Myanmar.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed that Lakanwal likely became radicalized after arriving in the US. Authorities are investigating his connections within the local community and family. Noem emphasized that anyone with information related to the shooting will be pursued and brought to justice.
The administration is reviewing all active asylum cases and may consider deportation where justified, signaling a stricter approach to US immigration.
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