Former President Donald Trump has directed the federal agency overseeing legal immigration to the United States to conduct a comprehensive review of green card holders from what his administration calls “countries of concern,” according to NBC News.
Joseph Edlow, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), said in a statement posted Thursday afternoon on X: “Under the direction of the President of the United States, I have ordered a full and rigorous re-vetting of every green card issued to any foreign national from any country of concern.”
Edlow added that protecting the country “remains of utmost importance” and that “the American people will not bear the cost of the reckless resettlement policies pursued by the previous administration.”
USCIS Flags “Countries of Concern” Amid White House Shooting; Afghan Immigration Suspended
When USCIS was asked for details about which countries are considered “countries of concern,” the agency pointed to a June presidential proclamation listing 19 countries “considered deficient in screening procedures.” Afghanistan is among the listed nations, along with Haiti, Iran, and Venezuela.
Thursday’s announcement came one day after a shooting near the White House that left two National Guard members seriously injured. Federal prosecutors say the suspect—an Afghan national who previously assisted U.S. forces—was resettled in the U.S. under the “Operation Allies Welcome” program during the Biden administration following the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Janine Pirro, said Thursday morning that her office is reviewing the suspect’s immigration history and the vetting process that allowed him to enter the country.
A source familiar with the case and another in law enforcement told NBC News that the suspect obtained asylum earlier this year.
Two members of the West Virginia National Guard—Sarah Bäckström, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24—remain in critical condition after the attack. They were in Washington as part of the Trump campaign’s deployment of federal forces to several U.S. cities.
In a video released by the White House, Trump described the attack as “an act of terrorism” and said additional National Guard units would be deployed in Washington.
Shortly after Trump’s remarks, the administration announced an indefinite suspension of all immigration applications involving Afghan nationals.
Calls for Deporting Muslims
Republicans have dramatically escalated their anti-immigration rhetoric following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., by a suspect of Afghan nationality. Some lawmakers are now calling for a complete end to Muslim immigration and the mass deportation of “every Islamist.”
The Trump administration has already taken steps in that direction by suspending all Afghan immigration applications—a move even some moderate Republicans do not entirely oppose.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska), a frequent public critic of Trump, told Axios:
“I hope they give extra consideration to Afghan interpreters. Still, I agree that everyone needs to be screened.”
Rep. Nick Lalota (R-Utah) added:“American leaders must set politics aside and objectively weigh the risks versus the benefits associated with the Special Immigrant Visa program.”
Trump said Wednesday that the Washington shooting “confirms the national security threat facing our country,” adding that the United States “must now reconsider every foreign national from Afghanistan who entered under Biden’s leadership.”
He added that the administration “must take all necessary measures to remove any foreigner from any country who does not belong here or does not benefit our nation.”
Some Republicans in Congress want to go even further. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) wrote Wednesday on X:“We must immediately ban all Muslim immigrants and deport every Islamist living among us just waiting to strike.”
Republicans Push Stricter Immigration Measures and Repeated Vetting of Afghan Refugees
The sentiment echoed across the House as well. Rep. Mary Miller (R-Illinois) wrote: “Deport them all. Now.”
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) added: “We know the solution: Stop importing Islamists. Deport them.”
The administration has already taken steps to curb immigration to the U.S., particularly from Muslim-majority countries, as part of its broader anti-immigration agenda.
In June, Trump announced a travel ban that included Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The administration also terminated Temporary Protected Status for migrants from more than half a dozen countries, including Afghanistan and Syria.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) is pushing for a vote on his bill requiring “ongoing, repeated vetting” of Afghan refugees who arrived in the U.S. in 2021 and 2022 without certain documentation.
On X, he wrote:“We must pass my Afghanistan Vetting and Accountability Act to identify and repeatedly screen Afghan evacuees who were not properly vetted before entering the U.S., so this never happens again!”