Washington, Nov 29 (UNI) The United States on Friday announced an “immediate halt” to the issuance of visas for individuals travelling on Afghan passports and paused all asylum applications, following a deadly shooting in Washington, D.C., that left one National Guard member dead and another critically injured.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said the freeze is intended to ensure that every applicant is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X that the State Department has “IMMEDIATELY paused visa issuance for individuals traveling on Afghan passports,” adding that the administration is taking “all necessary steps to protect U.S. national security and public safety.”
The stringent action comes after authorities identified the suspect in Wednesday’s ambush-style shooting as an Afghan national. In the aftermath of the attack, the Trump administration moved swiftly to tighten immigration policies.
Additionally, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it has suspended all asylum decisions, citing the need to ensure enhanced screening and vetting procedures. USCIS Director Joe Edlow said on X, “USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible. The safety of the American people always comes first.
The administration has also ordered a review of all green cards previously issued to nationals from 19 “countries of concern,” including Afghanistan, and directed the Department of Homeland Security to reexamine asylum cases approved under former President Joe Biden.
President Donald Trump has sharply criticised the previous administration, claiming the suspect entered the country under Biden-era policies. He reiterated his intention to “permanently pause migration from all Third World countries,” though he did not specify which nations the policy would include.
The actions reflects one of the administration’s most sweeping immigration crackdowns to date, with officials signaling more measures may follow as investigations into the D.C. shooting continue.
US halts Afghan visas, freezes asylum applications
