According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph B. Edlow, a comprehensive and stringent review of green cards, as directed by President Donald Trump, is on the horizon.
On the day when an Afghan national was accused of shooting two National Guard soldiers, the Trump administration announced plans to scrutinize all green cards issued to individuals from 19 nations labeled as “countries of concern.”
Edlow emphasized that these thorough examinations align with Trump’s directive, stating, “Protecting our nation and its citizens is of utmost importance. We refuse to allow the American public to suffer due to the previous administration’s careless resettlement strategies. The security of Americans is not up for negotiation,” he mentioned on social media.
The list of countries under this review includes Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, as reported by CNN.
In a late Thursday social media post, Trump expressed his intention to “end all of the millions” of immigrant admissions from what he termed “all Third World Countries” under Biden’s policies.
Trump posted to social media late Thursday evening saying he would “terminate all of the millions” of Biden immigrant admissions from “all Third World Countries.”
The shooter, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan in 2021, according to law enforcement sources.
The call for additional reexaminations comes after the Citizenship and Immigration office said all Afghan national immigration requests would stop “indefinitely” pending a review of security and vetting protocols.
Soon after the shooting, Trump said his administration would review everyone who entered from the country under former President Joe Biden — a measure his administration had been planning before the shooting.
In a June executive order, Trump said the U.S. must be “vigilant” while issuing vias.
“The United States must ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the United States do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists or other threats to our national security,” he wrote.
Refugee groups fear they’ll now be considered guilty by association.
Ambassador Ashraf Haidari, founder and president of Displaced International, which provides resources, advocacy and support to displaced people worldwide, said there must be a thorough investigation and justice for those who were harmed, “but even as we pursue accountability, one individual’s alleged actions cannot be allowed to define, burden, or endanger entire communities who had no part in this tragedy.”
Matthew Soerens, a vice president with World Relief, a Christian humanitarian organization that helps settle refugees, including Afghan nationals in Whatcom County, Washington, said the person responsible for the shooting should face justice under the law.
“Regardless of the alleged perpetrator’s nationality, religion or specific legal status, though,” he said, “we urge our country to recognize these evil actions as those of one person, not to unfairly judge others who happen to share those same characteristics.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
