The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a sweeping overhaul of immigration protocols on Thursday, indefinitely freezing all processing for Afghan nationals and launching a retroactive review of every asylum case approved during the Biden administration.
The move comes in the immediate wake of the shooting of two National Guard members, allegedly at the hands of an Afghan man. RELATED: “Savage Monster”: Trump Announces Death Of National Guard Soldier Ambushed In DC
In a statement released Thursday, the agency confirmed that the pipeline for immigration requests involving Afghan citizens has been shut down effective immediately. Officials stated this pause will remain in place while security and vetting procedures undergo a rigorous re-evaluation.
Tricia Mclaughlin, a spokesperson for the department, framed the decision as a necessary pivot to address potential security gaps.
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“Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” Mclaughlin said.
The scope of the inquiry extends significantly beyond current applicants. The administration is initiating a comprehensive audit of asylum cases that were greenlit over the past four years. Mclaughlin noted that the Trump Administration is “reviewing all asylum cases approved under the Biden Administration,” citing concerns that the previous leadership “failed to vet these applicants on a massive scale.”
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