Why Did the US Halt Afghan Immigration Requests After the Attack in Washington?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- USCIS halts Afghan immigration requests due to security concerns.
- President Trump labels the attack on Guardsmen as terrorism.
- Increased military presence in Washington to ensure safety.
- Ongoing scrutiny of Afghan nationals entering the US.
- FBI to prosecute the case federally.
Washington, Nov 27 (NationPress) The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Thursday that it is halting all immigration requests from Afghan nationals immediately. This decision comes just hours after a targeted assault, reportedly executed by an individual from Kabul, on National Guard members in proximity to the White House.
In a statement shared on X, the agency declared, "Effective immediately, we are suspending the processing of all immigration requests related to Afghan nationals indefinitely, pending a comprehensive review of our security and vetting protocols."
"The safety and protection of our homeland and the American populace is our primary focus and mission," the statement continued.
In response to the attack, US President Donald Trump described it as an "act of terror."
"This despicable assault was an act of evil, hatred, and terror. It constituted a crime against our entire nation and humanity," Trump stated while addressing the public on Wednesday evening (local time).
He indicated that the apprehended suspect is a "foreigner who arrived in our nation from Afghanistan, a hellhole on earth," and criticized the previous Biden administration for permitting the attacker to enter the country under refugee status.
Trump pledged to "reassess every single individual" from Afghanistan who entered the US during the Biden administration.
"We must now scrutinize every single alien who has arrived from Afghanistan under Biden, taking all necessary actions to ensure the removal of anyone from any nation who does not contribute positively to our country. If they cannot love our nation, we do not desire them," he stressed.
Additionally, he announced the deployment of an extra 500 troops to "bolster the protection of our capital city."
The shooting incident occurred less than 500 meters from the White House. Trump was not present in the capital, as he was in Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday.
While addressing the press, FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the case would be prosecuted at the federal level, asserting that "this constitutes an assault on federal law enforcement officers."
In recent months, multiple states have dispatched Guard personnel to Washington as part of Trump’s public safety initiative, which has since expanded to various other major US cities.
Currently, approximately 2,400 National Guard troops are deployed in Washington, including around 958 from the DC National Guard and nearly 1,300 from eight other states.