Select Language:
DC residents laid flowers and placed flags at a memorial near the White House following an incident where two National Guard members were shot in Washington, DC, on November 28, 2025. Reuters reported the event picture showing the scene with people mourning.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, faces charges of first-degree murder, according to the U.S. Attorney. However, official formal charges have not yet been filed against the Afghan-born man. The United Nations has called on the United States to uphold its commitments under the 1953 Refugee Convention amid ongoing immigration and security debates.
The American man accused of shooting two National Guard members, killing one, will be charged with first-degree murder after the attack that led President Donald Trump to state he would halt migration from “Third World Countries.” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro revealed on Fox News that additional charges are pending against 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who allegedly ambushed the soldiers from West Virginia National Guard near the White House on Wednesday.
Lakanwal, who arrived in the U.S. in 2021 under a Biden-era program designed to resettle Afghans who assisted U.S. efforts in their homeland, was granted asylum under the Trump administration but had not been formally charged at the time of reporting. Trump, in a Thanksgiving Day call with U.S. service members, labeled the shootings as a “terrorist attack.”
Sarah Beckstrom, aged 20, succumbed to her injuries Thursday, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition, Pirro stated. Both were in Washington as part of the recent deployment of military personnel by Trump to support city police amid rising crime.
Following the holiday, a noticeable decrease in National Guard patrols was observed in the capital. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has suspended issuing visas to Afghan passport holders temporarily. Secretary Marco Rubio confirmed the pause affects all travelers with Afghan passports.
Trump has increased rhetoric surrounding immigration, asserting he plans to halt migration permanently from all so-called “Third World Countries” to help restore the U.S. system, eliminate what he describes as Biden’s illegal admissions, and remove non-beneficial immigrants. He criticized legal procedures like the autopen signatures Biden used, promising to rescind those documents.
The Biden administration reversed many restrictive immigration policies after taking office, emphasizing the importance of humanitarian protections and nondiscrimination. Homeland Security officials announced a review of asylum and green card approvals from the countries listed in last June’s travel bans, including Afghanistan.
Experts warn that executive actions alone cannot make permanent changes to immigration laws, which require congressional approval. The recent attack by Lakanwal, who came through Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome and was part of a CIA-backed Afghan unit, has prompted wider reviews of immigration protocols. Lakanwal drove from Washington state to the scene of the shooting, where he used a .357 Magnum revolver before being injured in a firefight.
In response, officials like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are proposing regulations to restrict certain tax benefits for undocumented immigrants. Authorities are also examining plans to potentially deport the suspect’s family.
International organizations urged the U.S. to continue granting asylum and respect their legal obligations under the 1953 Refugee Convention, emphasizing that restricting asylum processes following this incident would be both disruptive and unsupported by evidence linking refugee populations to increased crime.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
