The Trump administration has announced a sweeping review of green cards issued to immigrants from 19 countries, citing concerns about national security.
The move comes after an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard members in Washington, DC on Wednesday, leaving them seriously injured.
Joseph Edlow, head of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, said President Donald Trump had ordered “a full scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern.”
He did not provide details on how the review would be carried out.
When asked which countries are affected by BCC, Edlow’s agency referred to a June White House proclamation listing Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela among those flagged for security concerns.
Other countries on the list include Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, and Libya.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan suspect, arrived in the US in 2021 under a special program offering protection to Afghans after America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
President Trump said the attack highlights a pressing threat to national security.
“This attack underscores the greatest national security threat facing our nation,” he said.
“The last administration let in 20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners from all over the world, from places that you don’t even want to know about. No country can tolerate such a risk to our very survival.”
Edlow, in a social media post, emphasized the priority of protecting Americans.
“The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies,” he wrote.
The June proclamation cited by the agency explained the reasoning behind placing countries on the list. It highlighted risks from “foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats,” as well as high rates of visa overstays.
About Afghanistan, the proclamation said: “The Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group, controls Afghanistan. Afghanistan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.”
The green card review follows other security measures taken by the Trump administration.
On Wednesday, the US temporarily halted processing all Afghan immigration requests while reviewing security and vetting protocols.
Last week, the same agency announced it would review all refugees admitted under former President Joe Biden, as part of broader efforts to tighten entry requirements.
