Trump halts all US asylum rulings in sweeping security crackdown after Washington DC attack

The Trump administration has halted all US asylum decisions after two National Guard soldiers were shot in Washington, DC, a move officials say is necessary to “protect the American people.”

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow confirmed the nationwide pause on Friday, stating that officers have been directed to stop issuing asylum rulings until every applicant is vetted “to the maximum degree possible.”

“This pause will stay in place until we can ensure that every alien is properly vetted. The safety of the American people always comes first,” Edlow said in a statement posted on X.

Attack in DC

The suspension comes in the wake of Wednesday’s attack near the White House, where 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national resettled in 2021, allegedly shot two members of the West Virginia National Guard. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, later died; Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition. Lakanwal had been granted asylum earlier this year during the Trump administration.

In response, the administration has initiated a sweeping immigration crackdown. On Thursday, officials announced a review of all asylum approvals issued under the Biden administration. USCIS has also begun reexamining green card applications from nationals of 19 countries identified in a June presidential proclamation that restricts travel on security grounds.

The actions intensified further when Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a pause on all visa issuance for individuals travelling on Afghan passports. The State Department confirmed an immediate freeze, placing more than 100,000 pending Afghan immigration cases, some dating back to the 2021 withdrawal, under renewed scrutiny.