Following a deadly shooting incident near the White House, US President Donald Trump has ordered intensified scrutiny of Green Card holders from Afghanistan and 18 other countries. This directive comes soon after the temporary suspension of immigration applications from Afghanistan.
According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow, the agency has begun a full-scale reassessment of all Green Cards issued to individuals from countries deemed high-risk. India and most South Asian nations are not part of this list, with Afghanistan being the sole exception from the region.
The move follows Wednesday&rsquo;s shooting by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who opened fire near the White House. One National Guard soldier, Sarah Beckstrom, died from her injuries, while another remains in critical condition. Lakanwal, who previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan and later entered the US under special protection programs, is currently hospitalised after being injured during his capture.
The broadened review affects several hundred thousand Green Card holders. Trump had earlier placed these 19 nations on a watch list in June, restricting visa issuance due to concerns over security vetting capabilities.
Countries on the list include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
Edlow criticised the Biden administration for weakening vetting standards and emphasised that immigration officers will now treat country-specific risk factors as significant negative indicators when evaluating applications.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]

Trump orders strict re-examination of Green Card holders from 19 nations after DC shooting

US Tightens Green Card Checks After Shooting

Trump orders strict re-examination of Green Card holders from 19 nations after DC shooting

November 28, 2025 | 10:04 IST