Another week, another whiplash-inducing series of policy lurches in Washington. This time, the impetus was the tragic shooting of two West Virginia National Guardsmen in D.C., allegedly by an Afghan man who arrived during OAW. Our hearts go out to the families of Sarah Beckstrom, who was murdered, and Andrew Wolfe, who was wounded and is critically injured, and we wish Andrew a speedy recovery.
The reaction to this tragedy has been the launching of a series of far-reaching policy shifts by the Administration which, once again, dramatically harm our Afghan allies and the broader immigration system.
We are furious, we are focused, and we are not going anywhere.
The Bottom Line
In less than 72 hours, the administration used one alleged crime by one man to justify:
A “pause” on all asylum decisions nationwide;
A global stop on visas for anyone holding an Afghan passport (including SIV);
A review of every refugee admitted under the last administration, with green card applications and issuances frozen in place.
This is collective punishment dressed up as national security. It is wrong on the facts, wrong on the law, and a betrayal of the promises this country made to its wartime allies. And, in reality, many of the changes in policy being enacted were already planned, but the Administration is using this tragedy as an excuse to roll out these severe and extreme restrictions.
The Administration is threatening to “terminate” all Biden immigration admissions and the President stated that “remigration” is the only solution. This is dangerous rhetoric that will have real-life consequences for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people, including wartime allies who risked their lives to stand with American troops through twenty years of war.
What happened this week
A shooting near the White House
Mid-week, an Afghan man, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly shot two National Guard members near the White House, killing one and critically injuring the other. Reporting confirms he previously served in one of Afghanistan’s elite counter-terrorism units, run with direct CIA and U.S. military support. AfghanEvac provided context to reporters about that unit and the level of vetting people like him underwent.
We have been crystal-clear on two points:
We unequivocally condemn this attack and grieve for the Guard members and their families.
You must not blame an entire population of wartime allies because of the alleged crime of one man the U.S. government itself recruited, trained, and deployed.
The asylum and visa “pause”
Within hours, the White House moved to suspend all asylum decisions nationwide and “pause” visa issuance for Afghan nationals. Multiple outlets confirm that consular posts have been told to deny virtually every visa for anyone traveling on an Afghan passport, including people with previously approved cases.
The State Department cable reported by Reuters instructs consular officers to:
Reject all immigrant and non-immigrant visas for Afghans,
Cancel visas that were approved but not yet printed, and
Destroy printed visas that have not yet been used.
Roughly 265,000 Afghan visa cases are pending, including about 180,000 in the SIV pipeline alone. Those families are now facing an indefinite freeze because of where they were born, not what they have done.
The refugee “review” memo
We also saw reporting on an internal USCIS memo ordering a review of all refugees admitted under the Biden administration and a halt to green card processing for those refugees.
On paper, it looks like “review.” In practice, this means:
Families who followed every rule, passed every security check, and have lived here for years are now in legal limbo;
The promise of a path from refuge to permanent status is being suddenly pulled away; and
Refugees of all nationalities — including thousands of Afghans — are left in limbo and in danger.
Taken together with earlier executive actions that already suspended refugee resettlement and narrowed humanitarian parole, this week’s moves are the next steps in a clear, deliberate project to shut legal doors and sow fear.
What does this mean for our Afghan allies?
For those still in the pipeline:
SIV and COM-approved applicants
Court-ordered timelines in the Afghan and Iraqi Allies SIV class action remain statutorily required, but if consular officers are being told to deny visas for anyone with an Afghan passport, the “right to adjudication” risks becoming an empty bucket.
Consular officers globally have been instructed to reject all immigrant and non-immigrant visas for Afghans and to cancel or destroy visas that have already been issued but not used; this includes Afghan SIVs.
People who have already cleared multiple layers of security vetting, medical checks, and interviews are being told, overnight, that the door may not open at all.
Refugee (P-1/P-2) cases
Earlier executive orders already indefinitely blocked most Afghan refugee arrivals this year. The new review on all refugees already admitted to the U.S. puts the status of individuals who already cleared extensive vetting in danger.
Family reunification and other visas
Spouses and children of Afghans in the U.S. who were on track to join their families now face cancellation or indefinite delay, even when their cases were near the finish line.
For Afghans already here:
Refugees admitted under Operation Allies Welcome, Enduring Welcome, and other programs may now have their files re-opened and reviewed, possibly stalling or reversing their path to permanent status.
Our community is seeing a surge in fear — people asking whether they should move, whether they should show up to check-ins, whether a traffic stop or a paperwork glitch could upend everything.
This is a wholesale attempt to undo previous refugee admissions and a dangerous escalation of the Trump Administration’s remaking of our immigration system.
Mental health and community well-being
The emotional toll of these policy shocks is real. Many newly arrived Afghans are experiencing acute stress, re-traumatization, and fear about their futures. If you or someone you know is struggling, there is culturally competent help available and you can find various resources at USA Hello.
How AfghanEvac Responded
In order to ensure that accurate information was widely disseminated in the wake of this horrible tragedy, AfghanEvac took the following action:
Media and narrative
Provided background to reporters on who Rahmanullah Lakanwal is, the nature of his service to the United States, and the extensive vetting U.S. agencies already conduct on all Afghan immigrants admitted to the country.
Pushed back against attempts to smear all Afghan evacuees as dangerous, reminding journalists and policymakers that these are the same allies the U.S. begged to stand with us on the battlefield.
Legal and policy response
Convened emergency calls with partners to assess how the asylum freeze and Afghan visa pause intersect with the existing SIV court orders and the obligations embedded in the Enduring Welcome Act and related legislation.
Began exploring litigation and oversight options to challenge unlawful blanket denials and to protect people who already have approvals in hand.
Congressional engagement
Briefed congressional offices, both Republicans and Democrats, on the on-the-ground consequences of the visa pause, especially for former interpreters, contractors, and their families stuck in Pakistan and other third countries.
Urged key members to demand, at minimum, explicit carve-outs for SIV holders, COM-approved applicants, and family reunification cases that were already vetted and in process.
Community support
Fielded a surge of calls, WhatsApp messages, and emails from Afghans in the U.S. and abroad, working case-by-case to understand impacts and connect people to legal advice where possible.
We are a small team operating in a deliberately chaotic policy environment. But our moral compass is strong and we are not going to back down.
What we are fighting for this week
Here is what we are demanding in the days ahead:
Immediate clarification and carve-outs
Confirmation that court-ordered SIV adjudications will continue and that consular officers are not permitted to blanket-deny cases solely based on nationality.
Protection for COM-approved applicants, family reunification cases, and individuals who were already issued visas but not yet been able to use them.
Rollback of the asylum freeze and the refugee “review”
Rescission of the nationwide asylum decision freeze which serves no legitimate security purpose and violates both domestic and international obligations.
Clear guidance that refugees admitted under prior administrations will not be collectively punished through endless “review” and frozen green cards.
Congressional backbone
Active, public oversight from members of both parties who have claimed to care about our Afghan allies — not just quiet hand-wringing.
Movement on legislative protections like the Enduring Welcome Act to codify obligations that this administration is trying to dismantle by memo and tweet.
If you say, “We will not leave our allies behind,” then you do not get to stand by silently while your government does exactly that.
What you can do in the next 48 hours
1. Call your members of Congress
Tell your Representative and both Senators, clearly and calmly, that you want them to:
Publicly oppose blanket bans on Afghan visas and asylum,
Demand carve-outs for SIV, COM-approved, and family reunification cases, and
Support legislative protections like the Enduring Welcome Act and Afghan Adjustment-style measures.
A simple script you can use or adapt
“My name is ___. I live in ___. I am calling because I am deeply concerned that the administration has paused asylum decisions nationwide and effectively shut down visas for Afghans, including interpreters and wartime allies, after the D.C. shooting.
I want the Senator/Representative to publicly oppose any blanket ban on Afghan visas, to demand protections for SIVs and family reunification cases, and to support legislation like the Enduring Welcome Act that keeps our promises to Afghan allies. This is about national honor and basic decency.”
2. If you are a veteran, military family member, or former government official
Your voice carries particular weight. This week:
Share one concrete story (on social media, in a letter to the editor, or directly with your members of Congress) about an Afghan colleague who saved lives, kept troops safe, or made the mission possible.
Make the stakes real. Numbers are easy to ignore; names and stories are not.
3. Support the work
AfghanEvac is doing this work with a small, exhausted team and a long list of people who need help. If you are able, you can support us financially.
If you cannot give, you can still help by:
Sharing accurate information instead of rumors,
Pushing back when you see Afghans being scapegoated online, and
Checking in on Afghan friends, neighbors, and colleagues who may be quietly terrified by this week’s news.
If someone in your community is struggling with fear, isolation, or trauma, encourage them to connect with USA Hello’s Mental Health Support pages
In the Press
Recent Afghan Arrivals Fear Their Futures in the U.S. Are Now in Jeopardy – NY Times
Trump ramps up anti-immigration rhetoric after National Guard shooting | Hanomansing Tonight – CBC
‘Invaders!’ Trump confidante calls for hauling in Afghan asylum activist after DC shooting – Raw Story
AfghanEvac on MS Now – MS Now
Don’t ‘vilify’ all Afghans after DC shooting: Resettlement group | Morning in America – News Nation Morning in America
Trump ‘wiped away’ programs that may have stopped alleged DC shooter: expert – Raw Story
Trump collectively punishes Afghan community after Wednesday shooting – Zeteo
Investigations of National Guard shooting reveal suspect worked for CIA in Afghanistan – PBS Newshour
Afghans Who Assisted U.S. During the War Underwent Rigorous Vetting – NYT
Refugee groups worry about backlash after shooting of National Guard soldiers in DC – ABC News
U.S. State Department Stops Processing Visas for Afghan Allies – Reuters
National Guard Shooting Suspect radicalized in U.S., Homeland Secretary Says – Reuters
Trump says pause on asylum decisions will last ‘a long time’ – USA Today
Trump’s embrace of ‘remigration’ echoes Europe’s far right – WaPo
Counterterrorism officials vetted Guard shooting suspect before he entered the U.S. – WaPo
After attack on Guard members, Trump’s immigration crackdown grows – Christian Science Monitor
What We Know About the Two National Guard Members Shot in D.C. — Wall Street Journal
Do all Afghan refugees need to be vetted again? – World News Group
Final word
Crises like this are exactly why AfghanEvac exists. Our mission has always been to reduce uncertainty, increase throughput, and maintain urgency — even when those in power are doing the opposite.
Our friends and allies did not flinch when we asked them to stand with us in war. We refuse to flinch now.
Thank you for staying in this fight with us.
 | A guest post by
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Subject: Regarding the Processing of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) Cases
Dear Members of the United States Congress, Honorable Senators, and Esteemed Refugee Support Organizations,
We, a group of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants, respectfully submit this letter to express our profound and serious concerns regarding the recent delays and suspensions in the processing of SIV cases following the tragic incident perpetrated by one individual, which led to an attack on American personnel.
We strongly condemn this act and express our deepest condolences to the victims of this incident. However, we believe that the actions of one individual should not lead to the collective punishment of thousands of innocent families—families who had no connection to that individual and have fully complied with all the legal and security requirements of the SIV program over many years.
Many of us served alongside U.S. forces, government agencies, and their partners, facing significant dangers and direct threats. Our families have been subjected to threats, harassment, displacement, and persistent insecurity due to this cooperation. Despite meticulously completing all legal steps—from documentation to security checks, biometrics, interviews, and medical examinations—our cases remain in limbo.
It has now been over four and a half to five years since many SIV applicants began waiting for the completion of their case processing and transfer to the United States. Among us are many vulnerable individuals: children, women, and families living in difficult and insecure conditions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Pakistan, many also face issues such as deportation, non-renewal of visas, detention, fines, and legal uncertainty.
Years of prolonged waiting have caused many applicants to miss out on education, training, employment, normal life, and professional futures. Others, in pursuit of the safety promised to them, have been forced to sell their homes, assets, businesses, and livelihoods, leaving them without support and in extremely difficult circumstances.
In this situation, the halt or slowdown of processing due to an isolated incident unrelated to the SIV community has multiplied our concerns exponentially.
We respectfully request the following:
1. The uninterrupted resumption of SIV case processing and the avoidance of broad suspensions based on the actions of one individual.
2. Security assessments to be conducted on a case-by-case basis, preventing collective measures that affect thousands of innocent applicants.
3. Guarantee that families who have completed all stages—some after years of waiting—are not deprived of their right to safety, transfer, and resettlement.
4. Complete transparency regarding the timeline and any new changes in the case processing procedures.
5. Continued support from refugee advocacy organizations to prevent further uncertainty, insecurity, and harm to at-risk families.
6. The regular restart of the transfer process, visa issuance, interviews, and resettlement for SIV applicants who have been waiting for years.
For many of us, the SIV program is not just a visa; it is a lifeline for children, families, and individuals who remain under direct threat due to our past cooperation with the United States. We believe in the United States' longstanding commitment to justice, accountability, and support for its allies.
We respectfully urge that the actions of one individual not overshadow the dedication, loyalty, and courage of thousands of American allies in Afghanistan—those who stood with the United States for years and are now awaiting the fulfillment of the promise of support and protection.
We thank you for your attention, responsibility, and commitment to humanitarian values.
On behalf of the SIV applicant families,
With utmost respect
I am the winner of the DV letter. We must serve you justice.