Trump administration gives warning to green card holders from these 19 countries following National Guard shooting

The Trump administration has announced it will reassess green cards issued to immigrants from 19 specific countries following the November 26 shooting of two National Guard members near the White House. The decision comes after the arrest of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, suspected of killing 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injuring 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated on X that President Trump ordered a “full-scale, rigorous review” of every green card issued to individuals from “countries of concern.” A green card grants permanent residency and is typically revoked only in extreme cases, such as convictions for major violent crimes.

The directive follows Trump’s statement on Truth Social that he plans to temporarily halt migration from “Third World Countries” and remove migrants deemed a threat to public safety or incompatible with “Western civilization.” He did not clarify which nations fall under this description.

The USCIS review will follow a June presidential proclamation identifying countries facing U.S. national security or foreign policy concerns. Trump previously blocked visa issuance to nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

He also imposed partial entry restrictions on citizens of Cuba, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Lakanwal, reportedly of Afghan origin, entered the U.S. in 2021 through a program offering special protections to Afghans after the American withdrawal.

Federal officials say Lakanwal had assisted the CIA before being resettled under Operation Allies Welcome. Edlow’s announcement did not directly reference the shooting, though Trump immediately framed the attack as a major national security threat.

The USCIS recently launched a separate review of refugees admitted during Joe Biden’s presidency.