Afghans in US issue plea to Trump after Washington DC shooting

November 28, 2025

Following a deadly shooting in Washington DC that killed National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom and critically injured another soldier, members of the Afghan-American community have publicly denounced the attack while emphasizing the suspect does not represent their community. The alleged shooter, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, immigrated to the US in 2021 after assisting American forces during the Afghanistan withdrawal and received asylum earlier this year. In response to the incident, President Trump has suspended Afghan immigration processing and ordered reviews of green cards from 19 countries, prompting concern among Afghan immigrants about their uncertain status.

Who is affected

National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom (killed) and Andrew Wolfe (critically injured fighting for his life)
Families of the victims
Afghans living in the United States who fear community-wide repercussions
Afghan immigrants with pending immigration claims or applications
Individuals from 19 countries whose green cards are under review
Afghans still in Afghanistan facing threats from the Taliban

What action is being taken

President Trump is halting the processing of all immigration requests from Afghans
The US government is conducting a review of green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries
The Afghan Community Coalition is calling for a comprehensive investigation
Afghan-Americans are speaking out to condemn the attack and defend their community

Why it matters

This incident threatens to undo twenty years of Afghan-US partnership and jeopardize immigration protections for thousands of Afghans who assisted American forces during the two-decade military effort. The attack and subsequent policy response create uncertainty for Afghan immigrants who risked their lives supporting US operations and fled Taliban persecution, potentially leaving vulnerable allies stranded. The broader immigration crackdown affects not only Afghans but individuals from multiple countries, raising questions about how single criminal acts should influence immigration policy toward entire communities.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article beyond the ongoing investigation and the threatened "wider crackdown on migrants from what he calls 'third-world countries'" which lacks specific implementation details.

Read full article from source: BBC