US Orders Heightened Scrutiny of Green Card Holders from Afghanistan and 18 Other Nations

New York, Nov 2025 : Following a deadly shooting near the White House, US President Donald Trump has ordered intensified scrutiny of Green Card holders from Afghanistan and 18 other countries, suspending new immigration applications from Afghanistan.

US Customs and Immigration Service Director Joseph Edlow announced on Thursday that, under the President’s directive, the agency will conduct a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.” India and other South Asian nations, except Afghanistan, are not included in the list.

The order comes in the wake of Wednesday’s shooting by Rahmanullah Lakanwal near the White House. The attack left National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom dead on Thursday, while another soldier remains in critical condition. Lakanwal, who sustained injuries before being apprehended, is currently hospitalized.

President Trump stated soon after the incident, “We must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan.” Under the expanded measures, several hundred thousand Green Card holders from the 19 designated countries will undergo meticulous re-evaluation.

The list of countries under heightened scrutiny includes Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Earlier in June, these nations were placed on a watchlist, with visa restrictions applied over concerns regarding the ability to thoroughly vet applicants.

Lakanwal, formerly associated with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Afghanistan, had entered the US under protection programs for Afghans who collaborated with American forces following the Taliban’s resurgence.

Edlow criticized the previous administration under President Joe Biden for what he described as “lax screening” of immigrants. “Yesterday’s horrific events make it abundantly clear the Biden administration spent the last four years dismantling basic vetting and screening standards, prioritizing the rapid resettlement of aliens from high-risk countries over the safety of American citizens,” he said.

Under the new guidance, immigration officers are instructed to treat country-specific factors as significant negative considerations when reviewing immigration and Green Card applications. The move signals a substantial tightening of immigration and security protocols, particularly for individuals from nations considered high-risk.

This heightened scrutiny reflects a broader push by the Trump administration to strengthen vetting processes and ensure the safety of US citizens in the aftermath of the White House shooting.