Trump Orders Green Card Review for Certain Nations

A green card review has been initiated by the Trump administration following a violent incident occurring in Washington, D.C. According to reports from CBS News, the administration has directed a “full-scale, rigorous reexamination” of permanent residence cards held by immigrants hailing from specific nations identified as “countries of concern.” This significant policy shift comes in the immediate aftermath of a shooting incident that left two National Guard members critically wounded.

 Scope of the new directive

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow confirmed on Thursday that the order to review status originated directly from President Trump. The thorough examination aims to scrutinize the documentation of immigrants already residing in the United States.

Homeland Security officials, speaking to CBS News, indicated that nearly twenty countries are currently on the designated list. These nations include Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen.

The administration asserts that these stepped-up national security measures are necessary in light of recent events. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin stated that the agency is now actively reviewing all asylum cases that were approved under the previous Biden administration.

This follows earlier directives to rescreen refugees admitted under former President Joe Biden to identify potential reasons for disqualification.

The Washington incident

The urgency behind this green card review stems from an attack that occurred on Wednesday near the White House. Authorities described the event as an “ambush-style attack” targeting two members of the West Virginia National Guard. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was shot and remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The suspect identified by the Department of Homeland Security is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national. Lakanwal was shot by a National Guard member during the incident, ending the attack. He is currently facing charges including assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Scrutiny on entry programs

The background of the suspect has drawn significant attention to prior immigration vetting processes. Authorities confirmed that Lakanwal was paroled into the United States in 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome, a program established during the Biden era for Afghan nationals following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The CIA also confirmed on Thursday that the suspect had previously worked with their agency in Afghanistan.

While Lakanwal entered the country in 2021, a Homeland Security official noted that his asylum case was formally granted earlier this year, during the current Trump administration.

In statements to CBS News, McLaughlin appeared to attribute the suspect’s approval to a prior court settlement that mandated expedited processing of Afghan asylum claims. Since the shooting occurred, the Trump administration has paused all processing requests regarding immigration for Afghan nationals.

President Trump, addressing the attack on social media, characterized it as an “act of terror” and vowed to reexamine everyone who entered from Afghanistan under the previous administration.