US immigration agency to review green cards from 'countries of concern'

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services will conduct a sweeping review of green cards issued to immigrants from designated "countries of concern," agency chief Joseph Edlow announced Thursday. The directive comes from President Donald Trump and will involve a rigorous reexamination of permanent residency status for individuals from these nations, though the specific countries were not identified in the initial announcement.

Security Justification and Policy Shift

Edlow emphasized national security concerns in his statement, declaring that "the protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount." He criticized previous immigration policies as "reckless resettlement policies" and asserted that "American safety is non-negotiable," indicating a significant shift in immigration enforcement priorities toward heightened security screening.

Triggering Incident and Immediate Actions

The policy announcement followed a violent incident in Washington, DC, where two National Guard members were shot and critically wounded on the eve of Thanksgiving. Authorities identified the suspect as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was taken into custody. In response, USCIS has temporarily suspended all immigration processing for Afghan nationals, though no timeline was provided for resuming these services.

Background and Ongoing Investigation

According to intelligence officials cited by Fox News, Lakanwal had previously worked with multiple US government agencies, including the CIA, during the American military engagement in Afghanistan. The two injured National Guard members, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, both from West Virginia, remain hospitalized in critical condition as the investigation into the shooting continues.