The Trump administration has announced a “rigorous” re-examination of all Green Cards issued to immigrants from 19 “countries of concern”, following the shooting of two National Guard service members in Washington, DC, by an Afghan national earlier this week.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow said President Donald Trump had directed a full-scale review of Green Cards issued to immigrants from these nations, noting the safety of Americans remains the administration’s top priority.
“The American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies,” Edlow said in a post on X, adding that the new policy guidance applies immediately to all pending and future requests filed on or after November 27, 2025.
The new rules allow USCIS to weigh “negative, country-specific factors” when vetting immigrants from the 19 countries, which include Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Myanmar, Haiti and Venezuela. These nations were previously included in a travel ban issued by Trump in June.
The move follows Wednesday’s shooting that left US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, dead, and US Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, critically injured. The accused, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, arrived in the US under the Biden-era refugee programme Operation Allies Welcome, meant for Afghans fleeing after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover.
Edlow said the updated policy will help USCIS determine whether an immigrant poses a public safety or national security threat, accusing the Biden administration of eroding crucial vetting safeguards over four years.
Trump, calling the shooting a “terrorist attack,” claimed many Afghan arrivals were brought in “unvetted” and vowed to remove individuals he deemed dangerous.
USCIS said the guidance follows the administration’s earlier halt on Afghan refugee resettlement and further strengthens vetting procedures to prevent similar incidents.
