White House shooting triggers Afghan immigration freeze, political backlash

A shooting near the White House on Monday, allegedly carried out by an Afghan national evacuated to the United States after the fall of Kabul, has prompted a federal investigation and renewed political debate over immigration policy. Security in Washington was tested when two West Virginia National Guard members were shot while on patrol near the White House, an attack that the president described as “an act of terror” and that has prompted an immediate suspension of Afghan immigration processing by federal authorities. 

The suspect, identified by investigators as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was taken into custody after a confrontation with law enforcement in which he himself was wounded.

Authorities said the shooting occurred during routine patrol duties near 17th and I Street NW in the capital. Officials categorised the attack as “targeted” while the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened a terrorism probe into the case. The incident took place at about mid-afternoon during high-visibility patrols.

Government response, immigration pause

In the hours after the shooting, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it would stop processing immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals “immediately and indefinitely”. The agency said it would carry out “a review of security and vetting protocols” and prioritise safety, adding in its statement: “The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission.”

President Donald Trump, speaking from his residence, called the shooting “a heinous assault” and described the incident as “an act of terror”. He urged a sweeping reassessment of admission policies, saying the episode exposed “the single greatest national security threat facing our nation”.

Senior defence officials ordered reinforcements to the capital while federal investigators worked to establish a motive. Local hospitals said both guardsmen were rushed into surgery and remained in critical condition.

Suspect's background, policy implications

Investigators identified the suspect as a 29-year-old Afghan national who arrived in the United States during the 2021 evacuations. Reports indicate that he had been placed under asylum protections and issued a work permit earlier this year after undergoing routine adjudication procedures.

Time reported that friends and former employers described the suspect as a logistics worker and translator who had assisted US forces in Afghanistan, though social media material reviewed by investigators reportedly showed anti-Western sentiment and postings sympathetic to extremist ideology. Officials cautioned that online material and past conduct form only part of a larger evidentiary picture that investigators must verify.

The president called for a comprehensive review of all individuals admitted to the United States from Afghanistan during the mass evacuations, urging immigration agencies to re-examine existing cases. At the same time, human-rights and refugee groups warned that halting processing for an entire group risks harming people who fled violence and who underwent security screening.

The Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department said both agencies would coordinate with the FBI on the criminal investigation while continuing administrative reviews of vetting processes. Aviation and border-security units were instructed to be vigilant as the review proceeds.