The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will review the immigration status of every permanent resident, or “Green Card” holder, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following a shooting that targeted National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
US authorities identified the detained suspect in Wednesday’s attack as an Afghan national who previously worked with American forces in Afghanistan. The 29-year-old was granted asylum—not permanent residency—in April 2025, according to AfghanEvac, a group assisting Afghans resettled in the United States after the 2021 Taliban takeover.
“I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” said Joseph Edlow, director of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in a post on X.
When asked to specify the countries involved, a USCIS spokesperson referred AFP to President Donald Trump’s June executive order classifying 19 nations as “of Identified Concern.” The order restricts entry for most nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan.
The other countries affected by the travel restrictions include Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
In addition, a partial ban applies to travelers from seven more countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—though some temporary work visas remain available.
