The Trump administration announced Thursday that it will review the immigration status of all permanent residents, or “Green Card” holders, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following a shooting targeting National Guard troops in Washington.
US authorities have identified the suspect in Wednesday’s attack as a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked with American forces in Afghanistan. The individual was granted asylum in April this year, according to AfghanEvac, an organization that assisted Afghans resettling in the United States after the 2021 Taliban takeover.
“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous review of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” said Joseph Edlow, director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in a post on X.
When asked which countries were included, a USCIS spokesperson referenced President Donald Trump’s June executive order identifying 19 nations as “of Identified Concern.” The order restricts entry for almost all nationals from 12 of these countries, including Afghanistan.
The other countries under a full travel ban are: Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
In addition, Trump implemented partial restrictions for seven more countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—allowing certain temporary work visas while limiting broader travel.
This review signals a heightened focus on security checks for immigrants from nations deemed high-risk following the recent attack.
