Cliff Notes – US halts all asylum decisions after DC shooting
- The United States has paused all asylum decisions following a shooting incident involving National Guard members near the White House, emphasising the need for heightened vetting.
- USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated that the “safety of the American people always comes first,” as immigration policies are reviewed post-incident.
- In response to the shooting, authorities are reassessing green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries and have suspended visa issuance for Afghan passport holders.
US halts all asylum decisions after DC shooting
The United States said Friday it will halt all asylum decisions following the shooting of National Guard members near the White House.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow said asylum decisions would be paused “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”
“The safety of the American people always comes first,” Edlow posted on X.
The decision follows President Donald Trump‘s announcement that he would halt migration from what he called “third world countries.”
The move is the latest immigration policy change after two National Guard soldiers were shot while deployed to Washington, DC, as part of the administration’s crime crackdown.
US immigration policy changes after National Guard shooting
After an Afghan man shot and killed one National Guard member and wounded another in the US capital, authorities said they were reviewing all green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries.
The State Department also paused issuing visas to individuals traveling on Afghan passports, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday.
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