The BareStory
Authorities have identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, as the suspect in a shooting in Washington, D.C., that killed one U.S. Army specialist and critically injured another soldier. According to official sources, Lakanwal entered the country in 2021 through the Operation Allies Welcome program. In response to the incident, the State Department reportedly halted all passport visas from Afghanistan, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has paused all asylum decisions. The White House press secretary stated that officials are re-examining all Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. during the 2021 evacuation.
Following the shooting, the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have conducted a series of arrests of Afghan evacuees and other foreign nationals. DHS released a list of apprehended individuals that, according to the department, included those with prior convictions for assault and lewd acts with a minor, as well as arrests for alleged terror-group support. A DHS assistant secretary said the previous administration failed to conduct proper background checks for 190,000 Afghan nationals. In recent days, officials reported arresting three Afghan nationals with suspected terrorist ties, including one individual apprehended for allegedly providing support to ISIS-K.
The shooting has created political challenges for Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican running for Senate. Political opponents have criticized him over a 2021 interview in which he said the U.S. had an "obligation" to provide visas to Afghans who had assisted American forces. One primary opponent, Nate Morris, accused Barr of having "blood on his hands," while another opponent's campaign called him a "Washington politician" who supported open borders for "unvetted Afghans."
In response, Barr's campaign stated that he voted against the Biden administration's Afghan resettlement funding and supports former President Trump's immigration policies. The campaign also accused his opponent, Morris, of lying. After the shooting, Barr issued a statement supporting a pause on immigration from countries where applicants cannot be vetted.
How it may affect me
As a U.S. reader:
• U.S. asylum decisions and passport visas from Afghanistan have been paused, affecting Afghans seeking to enter or get legal status in the country.
• Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. in 2021 are being re-examined by federal officials, which may increase law enforcement scrutiny of this group.
• The incident has intensified political debate over immigration and national security vetting, which may become a more prominent issue in election campaigns.
• The event could prompt stricter, long-term security screening policies for all future refugee and asylum applicants, not just those from Afghanistan.
