US Pauses Visas for Afghan Passport Holders After Deadly Washington, DC Shooting

The US Department of State has paused all visa issuance for individuals traveling on Afghan passports, citing national security concerns.

“The Department of State has immediately paused visa issuance for individuals traveling on Afghan passports,” the agency said in a post on X, adding that “all necessary steps” were being taken to safeguard US national security and public safety.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio separately confirmed the suspension, saying the administration’s highest priority is the protection of the American people.

The move follows a fatal shooting in Washington, D.C., in which an Afghan national killed a member of the National Guard and injured another only blocks from the White House on November 26.

The victim, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, and fellow Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, were on patrol when the assailant opened fire. Former President Donald Trump was not at the White House at the time.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the US in 2021 under a Biden-era resettlement program for Afghans who assisted American forces during the war. He was later granted asylum under the Trump administration. Investigators say he travelled from his Washington residence across the country before shooting the Guardsmen with a high-caliber revolver. He was wounded in an exchange of fire with other troops.

In response to the incident, President Trump announced sweeping immigration measures, saying he would “permanently pause” migration from “all Third World countries,” end what he called “illegal admissions” under former President Joe Biden, terminate federal benefits for non-citizens, and deport foreign nationals deemed security risks. He also vowed to “denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility.”