Nov 26, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Trump admin cracks down on Afghan immigrants after National Guard shooting

Rebecca Falconer

President Trump, wearing a navy jacket, white shirt and red tie, scowls as he looks at a reporter aboard Air Force One. — President Trump aboard Air Force One en route to Florida on Nov. 25. Photo: Pete Marovich/Getty Images

The Trump administration suspended all immigration applications from Afghan nationals with immediate effect on Wednesday night following a shooting in D.C. that critically injured two West Virginia National Guard members.

The big picture: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' announcement came soon after President Trump in a video address vowed to "re-examine every single" immigrant who had entered the U.S. from Afghanistan during the Biden administration, after confirming that the shooting suspect is an Afghan national who arrived in 2021.

The Trump administration says the suspect arrived under former President Biden's "Operation Allies Welcome" program, which was designed to support vulnerable Afghan refugees following the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

What they're saying: "Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols," the USCIS said on X.

"The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission."

Add Axios on Google

Trump admin cracks down on Afghan immigrants after National Guard shooting

What to read next