Trump: US Will Review All Green Cards Issued to People from 19 Countries/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump has ordered a full review of all green cards issued to immigrants from 19 “countries of concern” following the fatal shooting of a National Guard member by an Afghan national. The directive expands Trump’s crackdown on immigration and targets past asylum approvals under President Biden. Immigration advocates warn of unjust impacts on lawful immigrants.
Trump’s Immigration Review Quick Looks
- Green cards for immigrants from 19 nations face reexamination
- Trump cites shooting by Afghan refugee as national security threat
- DHS halts processing of Afghan immigration requests indefinitely
- Biden-era asylum approvals now under full review
- Trump pledges to end benefits and denaturalize certain migrants
- Nations listed include Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Cuba, Venezuela, and others
- USCIS to consider “negative, country-specific factors” in reviews
- Trump says U.S. must remove “non-compatible” foreign nationals
- Alliance of Afghan Communities warns against broad punishment
- Over 190,000 Afghans have resettled in U.S. since 2021
Deep Look: Trump Orders Full Review of Green Cards from 19 Nations After Afghan Refugee Shooting
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a sweeping new measure following a deadly attack in the nation’s capital, President Donald Trump has ordered U.S. immigration authorities to reexamine every green card issued to immigrants from 19 “countries of concern.” The move is part of an intensified immigration crackdown that Trump says is necessary to protect national security.
The directive follows the fatal shooting of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a National Guard member patrolling Washington, D.C., by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who previously worked with the U.S. government and was admitted to the country in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome.
“In light of this heinous crime, the president has directed us to take immediate and aggressive steps,” said Joseph Edlow, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in a post on X. “A full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every green card from every alien from every country of concern is underway.”
19 Nations Under Review
The list of countries, first detailed in a June presidential proclamation, includes:
USCIS stated that immigration officials will now take into account “negative, country-specific factors,” such as whether a country can issue secure identity documents, when determining the validity and security risk of previously issued green cards.
Asylum and Immigration Requests Frozen
Following the identification of Lakanwal as the suspect in the shooting, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it is pausing all immigration processing related to Afghan nationals.
“Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Additionally, the Trump administration will now review all asylum cases approved under President Joe Biden, indicating that many previously settled cases could face potential reversal or reevaluation.
Trump’s Expanding Immigration Agenda
In a Thursday night Truth Social post, Trump broadened his message, declaring that his administration will:
- Permanently pause migration from all “Third World Countries”
- Terminate millions of Biden-era admissions, including those “signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen”
- Deny all federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens
- Denaturalize migrants who “undermine domestic tranquility”
- Deport any foreign nationals considered “non-compatible with Western Civilization”
While “Third World Countries” remains a vague designation, Trump has used the term broadly in past rhetoric to refer to developing nations, often in the context of national security or cultural incompatibility.
Community Pushback and Fears of Collective Punishment
The Alliance of Afghan Communities in the United States quickly condemned the shooting but urged the federal government not to allow one individual’s actions to compromise the legal status of tens of thousands of law-abiding Afghans.
“A single individual’s crime must not jeopardize or obstruct the legal cases of thousands of deserving Afghans who meet all U.S. legal requirements,” the group said in a statement. They urged federal agencies to continue processing Afghan cases without unnecessary delays or political influence.
Over 190,000 Afghan nationals have resettled in the U.S. since the military withdrawal in August 2021, according to the State Department.
Trump Blames Biden Administration for the Attack
In a video address from Mar-a-Lago, Trump squarely blamed the Biden administration for Lakanwal’s entry into the U.S., saying the shooting “underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation.”
He called for a complete review of every Afghan national admitted during Biden’s term and reiterated plans to remove “any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country.”
Trump claimed that 20 million “unknown and unvetted foreigners” entered the U.S. under Biden, calling them “a risk to our very survival.”
What Is a Green Card?
A green card, or Permanent Resident Card, grants lawful permanent residency to noncitizens in the U.S. Unlike temporary visas or asylum status, it typically allows for long-term residency and eventual citizenship.
While refugees and asylum seekers must apply for green cards after one year, the current reexamination targets existing green card holders from the 19 named nations.
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