USCIS Suspends Afghan Immigration Requests Following Targeted Attack on National Guard in Washington

Washington, Nov 2025 : The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Thursday an immediate suspension of all immigration requests from Afghan nationals, just hours after a targeted attack on National Guard members in downtown Washington, near the White House. The suspected attacker, identified by media as an Afghan national from Kabul, allegedly carried out the assault, leaving two Guardsmen critically injured.

In a post on X, USCIS stated, “Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.” The agency emphasized that “the protections and safety of our homeland and of the American people remain our singular focus and mission.”

US President Donald Trump described the incident as an “act of terror” in a national address on Wednesday evening (local time). He called the attack “a heinous assault, an act of evil and hatred, and a crime against our entire nation and humanity.” Trump further identified the suspect as a “foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan, a hellhole on earth,” and criticized the previous Biden administration for allowing him to enter the US under refugee status.

Trump also vowed to “re-examine every single alien” from Afghanistan admitted under the Biden administration. He added, “We must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here, or does not add benefit to our country. If they can’t love our country, we don’t want them.”

In response to the incident, the President announced the deployment of an additional 500 troops to support security in the capital. The shooting occurred less than 500 meters from the White House; Trump was in Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday at the time.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the case will be prosecuted at the federal level, noting that “this is an assault on federal law enforcement officers.”

The National Guard presence in Washington has been heightened in recent months as part of Trump’s broader public-safety measures. Currently, approximately 2,400 National Guard troops are deployed in the city, including around 958 from the DC National Guard and about 1,300 from eight other states.

Authorities continue to review security and vetting procedures for Afghan nationals following the attack, signaling a temporary halt in immigration processing and increased scrutiny for similar entries. The USCIS decision underscores the federal government’s intensified focus on national security in the wake of threats near the nation’s capital.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)