The Trump administration has said it will re-examine green cards issued to individuals who immigrated to the US from 19 countries.
The head of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, stated that the president has directed him to conduct a full scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern.
When asked about the countries involved, the agency pointed to a June proclamation by the White House that includes Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela.
This announcement follows an incident in which an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard troops in Washington DC, gravely injuring them both.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the US in 2021 under a program offering special immigration protections to Afghans following America's withdrawal from Afghanistan.
President Donald Trump emphasized that the shooting illustrated a major national security concern.
Edlow's announcement regarding the green card review did not directly mention the incident. He stated, The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration's reckless resettlement policies.
Details on what this re-examination will entail remain unclear. The June proclamation aimed to restrict foreign nationals from entering the US to safeguard against foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats.
Concerns about security and the overstay rates of visas were cited as reasons for including countries in the review.
The proclamation noted that Afghanistan lacks proper authority for issuing documents and does not have adequate screening and vetting measures.
Other nations under scrutiny for green card holders include Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, and Libya.
The attack on US military personnel prompted a forceful response from Trump, who remarked that such incidents underscore a substantial national security threat.
Last week, the same agency initiated a review of refugees who were admitted under former President Joe Biden.
On Wednesday, the US also suspended processing all immigration requests from Afghans, pending a review of security and vetting protocols.
