Washington shooting: US halts immigration processing for Afghan nationals

WEB DESK: The United States has indefinitely suspended the processing of immigration applications submitted by Afghan nationals, following a shooting incident near the White House in which two National Guard officers were critically injured.

According to US media reports, the decision was taken after the attacker, identified as an Afghan citizen, opened fire on the guards in Washington. In the aftermath, the Trump administration ordered an immediate halt to all Afghan-related immigration requests.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said the pause will remain in effect while authorities conduct a fresh review of security and vetting procedures specific to Afghan applicants. “Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” the agency said on social media, adding that the safety of the country and its citizens was its “singular focus”.

Officials stated that application processing would only resume once the enhanced security standards are fully verified.

Since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, thousands of Afghans have sought asylum or permanent resettlement in America. The new suspension, however, is expected to create further hurdles for applicants already navigating a lengthy and uncertain process.