The Trump administration has initiated a comprehensive review of all green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries deemed as 'of concern' following a violent incident involving two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. Joseph Edlow, director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), stated that the review is being conducted under the directive of President Donald Trump. This action aims to ensure a complete and meticulous reassessment of every green card holder from these nations, which align with a June presidential proclamation that led to restrictions on nationals from several specified countries.
The countries included in this proclamation are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The administration cited reasons for the scrutiny, such as high visa overstay rates, inadequate cooperation on deportations, and security concerns related to potential terrorism threats.
This announcement follows a recent alarming event wherein two members of the West Virginia National Guard were critically injured in what has been described as an ‘ambush-style’ attack. The alleged perpetrator, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, reportedly carried out the assault using a revolver. Lakanwal had arrived in the U.S. in 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome, a program established to assist those fleeing Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal. Despite his past involvement in U.S. operations in Afghanistan and having passed all necessary background checks, investigators have not yet determined the motive behind his actions.
Consequently, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro indicated that the charges against Lakanwal, which currently include assault with intent to kill while armed, may be elevated depending on the outcomes of the victims’ recoveries. The Trump administration has responded to this attack by increasing the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, even as discussions regarding the legality of their ongoing presence continue in the courts, highlighting a complex intersection of immigration policy and national security concerns.