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THE AFRICA TIMES | UNITED STATES —
Following a shooting involving an Afghan national and two National Guard members on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump has announced plans to “permanently pause” immigration from “Third World countries.”
The president’s social media post began with Thanksgiving greetings. However, it quickly shifted to a pledge to end federal benefits for non-citizens and remove those not deemed “an asset to the United States.”
The Incident and Immediate Response
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, has been identified as the shooter. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, reportedly sought asylum in the US in 2021.
His nationality has become a focal point for Trump’s campaign promise. Trump seeks to crack down on both legal and illegal immigration.
Sweeping Immigration Reforms
These potential reforms may reexamine green card and asylum cases. These cases would be for immigrants from 19 “countries of concern.”
These countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, and Congo-Brazzaville. Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen are also included.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also made an announcement on X. Processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is now stopped indefinitely.
Operation Allies Welcome
Lakanwal entered the US under Operation Allies Welcome, also known as Operation Enduring Welcome. This program, initiated by the Biden administration, facilitated the entry of thousands of Afghans after the US military withdrawal.
The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 also factored into this decision. Afghans entered the US on two-year parole grants under this operation.
They then had to apply for permanent residency through asylum or other means. Over 19,000 Afghans have resettled through the Allies Welcome operation.
The initiative aimed to assist vulnerable Afghans who supported the US military. They provided translation, intelligence, and combat services.
The Taliban’s resurgence placed these Afghans’ lives at risk. CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed Lakanwal served with the CIA as an Afghan partner in Kandahar.
He was five years old when the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001. As a young man, he joined the “Zero Unit,” an Afghan paramilitary force working with Americans.
The Aftermath of the Shooting
One West Virginia National Guard member died. Another remains in critical condition after the shooting near the White House.
The shooting unfolded when Lakanwal approached three National Guard members. He shot one, then another, then the first victim again. He was shot as well.
Both guard members were hospitalized in critical condition. Sarah Beckstorm, 20, died from her injuries. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.
Lakanwal was hospitalized after the incident. He is now in law enforcement custody.
The incident occurs amidst Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in US cities. A federal judge ruled this deployment as an overstep of executive power. Despite this, Trump mobilized additional National Guard troops in the capital along with his new immigration reforms.
Currently, there is no concrete plan for enacting these immigration pauses. However, significant pushback from Congress is widely anticipated.
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