The United States will continue to suspend asylum decisions for an unspecified period, following the fatal shooting of a National Guard member near the White House by an Afghan national.
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the pause, initiated after the November 26 shooting, will remain in place for “a long time”.
“We don’t want those people,” Trump stated. “You know why we don’t want them? Because many have been no good, and they shouldn’t be in our country”.
The suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration.
He had been part of a CIA-backed force fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan and entered the US as part of a resettlement program following the American military withdrawal in 2021.
Lakanwal has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the incident.
The Department of Homeland Security linked the pause to a list of 19 countries already facing US travel restrictions, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, and Myanmar.
Trump had previously stated plans to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries” to allow the US system to recover.
The shooting has sparked concerns among Afghan immigrants in the US, who fear their legal status may be revoked.
The Trump administration has vowed to re-examine Green Card holders from the 19 countries and has halted visa issuance for Afghan nationals.
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