Afghan National Charged with Murder of National Guard Member; Trump Administration Halts Asylum Decisions and Afghan Visas
Following the fatal shooting of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critical injury of Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe by an Afghan national, the Trump administration has halted all asylum decisions and paused Afghan passport visa issuance.
Overview
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured in a shooting near the White House, prompting immediate federal action.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021, has been charged with first-degree murder for the attack.
In response to the shooting, the Trump administration, via USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, halted all asylum decisions to ensure maximum vetting and screening of aliens.
The State Department also temporarily paused visa issuance for individuals traveling on Afghan passports, as President Trump advocated for stricter anti-immigration measures.
President Trump criticized prior administration policies, calling the shooting a "terrorist attack" and advocating for stricter vetting and a re-evaluation of green cards.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by portraying the Trump administration's immigration actions as an opportunistic expansion of pre-existing, controversial policies, rather than a direct, necessary response to the shooting. They emphasize the administration "seizing on" the event to justify broader restrictions, while also including expert opinions and counter-narratives that question the premise of inadequate vetting or generalize about Afghan migrants.
Sources (24)
Center (13)
FAQ
The victims were Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, who died, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, who was critically injured.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021 and was granted asylum earlier in 2025. He is accused of driving across the country to carry out the attack.
The Trump administration suspended all asylum decisions for Afghan nationals and paused visa issuance for individuals traveling on Afghan passports, citing the need for stricter vetting and screening.
President Trump called the shooting a 'terrorist attack' and criticized previous administration policies, advocating for stricter immigration controls and a re-evaluation of green card policies.
History
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