US Halts Asylum Decisions Following National Guard Shooting, Trump Calls for Reinvestigation of Afghan Refugees
WASHINGTON D.C. - The United States has temporarily paused all asylum decisions following a shooting in Washington D.C.that left a National Guard member dead and another critically injured. The move comes as former President Donald Trump seized on the incident to criticize the Biden management’s handling of Afghan refugees and call for a reinvestigation of those admitted under Operation Allies Welcome.
The shooting occurred Wednesday night, resulting in the death of Specialist third Class William Beckstrom and leaving Specialist First Class Kevin Wolfe in ”very critical condition,” according to West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, who has ordered state flags flown at half-staff. The suspect, identified as Mohammad Lakanwal, allegedly shot the guardsmen “ambush-style,” according to Fox News host Jeanine Pirro.
Lakanwal, who arrived in the US in 2021 thru Operation Allies Welcome – a program designed to resettle Afghans who assisted US forces – had his asylum application approved under the Trump administration, according to a statement from #afghanevac. He lived in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children, his former landlord Kristina Widman stated.
Following the shooting, Trump labeled the incident a “terrorist attack” and called for a “permanent pause” to migration from poorer nations and the expulsion of millions of immigrants. In a thanksgiving address to troops, Trump said Lakanwal “went cuckoo. I mean, he went nuts.” He subsequently demanded a reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered the country under the biden administration initiative, which has brought approximately 76,000 people to the US.
The program has faced scrutiny from Trump and others alleging insufficient vetting, despite advocates maintaining extensive screening processes were in place and the program provided a vital lifeline to Afghans at risk from the Taliban. Investigators are currently executing warrants in Washington state and elsewhere to determine Lakanwal’s motive. Prosecutors have upgraded the charges against Lakanwal to include murder, with Pirro indicating “many charges to come.”
