• Source:JND
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The Trump administration has announced one of its most far-reaching immigration crackdowns yet, rolling out a series of restrictions in response to last week’s shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC. The accused gunman, identified as Afghan national RahmanullahLakanwal, had entered the US under Operation Allies Welcome in 2021 and was granted asylum last year.

Following a high-level meeting with President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday unveiled a proposal for a full travel ban on countries she said were sending “killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies” to the United States. In a post on X, Noem declared that America’s founders “did not build the nation for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch benefits owed to AMERICANS,” ending her statement with: “WE DON’T WANT THEM. NOT ONE.”

Asylum Decisions Frozen Nationwide

US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow said all asylum decisions have been paused “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” While no formal guidance has been issued, the freeze is immediate and indefinite, mirroring the president’s comments aboard Air Force One on Sunday, where Trump said he was considering a long-term halt to asylum admissions. “No time limit, but it could be a long time,” he told reporters. “We have enough problems. We don’t want those people.”

A leaked memo obtained by the Associated Press revealed that even before the DC attack, the administration was preparing to re-evaluate all refugees admitted during the Biden era.

Green Cards Under Review For 19 ‘Countries of Concern’

Edlow also announced a “full-scale, rigorous reexamination” of every green card issued to individuals from countries designated as “of concern.” The administration has identified 19 such countries, 12 already under a travel ban and seven with existing restrictions, including Afghanistan.

New USCIS guidance issued last week is expected to make it significantly more difficult for applicants from these nations to secure immigration benefits or extend their legal stay in the country.

The State Department has also paused the issuance of visas to Afghan passport holders, and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa processing has been halted entirely.

Suspect’s Vetting Under Scrutiny

The shooting suspect, Lakanwal, previously worked with the CIA during the US war in Afghanistan. Noem, speaking on ABC’s This Week, alleged that he may have been radicalised after his arrival and claimed he was not properly vetted under President Biden’s immigration system. She argued that Biden-era officials relied on outdated information and failed to conduct a thorough review before granting him asylum.

Noem insisted that vetting protocols have now been strengthened under the Trump administration, asserting that “any failure lies with them.”.

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