Washington, Nov 27 (EFE). - U.S. President Donald Trump reinforced his anti-immigration rhetoric and measures on Wednesday after an Afghan citizen who entered the country in 2021 was accused of carrying out a shooting attack against two members of the National Guard outside a metro station in Washington, D.C., in one of the security zones around the White House.
A 29-year-old Afghan citizen was caught on video by office workers and residents of the U.S. capital as security forces detained him outside a metro station before he was identified as the suspect who shot and seriously injured two National Guard members. They remain hospitalized, although their deaths had initially been reported.
Trump Freezes Immigration Processes Upon learning the suspect's nationality, Trump appeared in an official video toughening his anti-immigrant rhetoric against people from Afghanistan and blaming his predecessor, Joe Biden, for allowing the individual to enter in September 2021. "We must now re-examine every foreigner who has entered our country from Afghanistan," the head of state said in his official message.
Trump described the shooting as "an act of hate" and promised to toughen immigration measures against Afghan people, referring to the suspect as "an animal," a term that various members of his administration often use against undocumented individuals accused of crimes.
Ten minutes after the president's message, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on social media the suspension of immigration applications for Afghan citizens. "Effective immediately, the processing of all immigration applications related to Afghan citizens is suspended indefinitely pending further review of security protocols and background checks," the agency stated in X.
The Suspect and His Arrival in the U.S. The suspect in custody was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, and according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, he entered the country in 2021 under the Operation Allies Welcome program, through which the Biden administration welcomed Afghan nationals after the Taliban took control of Kabul.
Local authorities, led by the Metropolitan Police Department and Mayor Muriel Bowser, did not provide information on possible motives for the attack or the background of the suspect in custody.
The detained Afghan had obtained a two-year permit to stay in the U.S. in 2021, but was currently in an irregular status after the program initiated by Biden expired.
Following his capture and comments by Trump himself, a coalition of social groups supporting Afghan migration stated to various media that it is necessary for the shooter to "face a fair legal process" and have asked that the shooting not be "used as an excuse to demean an entire community."
Security Increased in the Capital The attack on the two National Guard members, who are in critical condition at two capital-area hospitals, triggered an immediate response. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that they will add another 500 military personnel to the 2,500 already in Washington since August patrolling the city.
Hegseth condemned the attack because it occurred "just meters" from the White House and assured that they will redouble efforts to prevent incidents of this magnitude.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice took the opportunity to ask an appeals court to eliminate a court order that requires the National Guard to withdraw its members by next December 11, citing they could face "possible illegality."
The two National Guard members injured this afternoon were identified as being from Virginia. Both are part of the federal forces that Trump deployed in the capital since August with the objective of taking control of what he called "out-of-control crime" and later expanded as a strategy to carry out operations and raids against migrants in various cities governed by Democrats across the country.
The two injured soldiers remain hospitalized with no official prognosis, while the case continues under investigation and authorities expect to offer more details in the coming hours.
