• The US has paused visa issuance for all Afghan passport holders.
• Decision made after a shooting incident involving an Afghan national near the White House.
• Asylum requests for Afghan nationals are also halted indefinitely.
• Authorities emphasize national security as a priority in immigration processes.
• The move affects thousands of Afghan allies seeking refuge in the US.

The United States has ceased the issuance of visas for all individuals traveling on Afghan passports following a tragic shooting incident that left one National Guard member dead and another critically injured. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "The United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people," emphasizing the government's commitment to public safety, according to Indiatimes, Al Jazeera, and AA.

The policy is a response to the actions of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, identified as the shooter and an Afghan national who reportedly worked for a CIA-backed unit. This decision suspends all processing of immigration requests concerning Afghan nationals, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) halting all decisions on asylum applications as well. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow noted, "USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible," according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.

The directive sent to U.S. diplomatic posts stated that all visa applications from Afghan nationals would be rejected, which includes special immigration programs set for Afghan allies who supported U.S. forces during the conflict. This course of action has raised concerns among advocacy groups, who express fears that it effectively bars Afghans from entering the U.S. altogether, as highlighted by the president of the volunteer organization AfghanEvac, according to Reuters.

This move comes amid a broader trend of escalating immigration restrictions under the Trump administration, with prior critiques directed at the handling of immigration policy by former President Biden. Trump has also voiced his intent to reassess immigration from "all Third World countries," implying a significant shift in U.S. immigration stance post-incident, as detailed in Al Jazeera and AA.