In the wake of a deadly attack in Washington D.C., the US government has taken its most sweeping immigration step since the incident by suspending all visa processing for individuals traveling on Afghan passports. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the immediate pause was necessary to safeguard national security amid growing political pressure after one soldier was killed and another critically wounded.<\/p>\n
The State Department announced that visa services for Afghan passport holders have been \u201cimmediately\u201d suspended. In its statement, the agency emphasized that all measures were being taken to \u201cprotect US national and public safety.\u201d<\/p>\n
Secretary Marco Rubio echoed the message on X, writing, \u201cThere is no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people.\u201d<\/p>\n
The freeze follows the identification of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, as the suspect in Wednesday\u2019s shooting near the White House. Authorities say Lakanwal ambushed National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe during routine patrol duties.<\/p>\n
Beckstrom later died from her injuries, while Wolfe remains in critical condition.<\/p>\n
In a parallel move, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a nationwide pause on all asylum decisions.<\/p>\n
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated, \u201cAll asylum decisions are halted until we can ensure every individual is vetted to the maximum degree possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edlow added that he had ordered a comprehensive re-examination of all green card applications from \u201ccountries of concern,\u201d following directives from President Trump.<\/p>\n