U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Tightens Green Card Vetting After Shooting Incident
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow announced Thursday that the agency would review green cards issued to citizens of “every country of concern” following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
“At at the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” Edlow posted on X.
Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot multiple times while on duty near the Farragut West Metro station. Fellow National Guard members quickly subdued the attacker, preventing additional casualties. Beckstrom and Wolfe are in critical condition.
Authorities identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakamal, an Afghan national who entered the U.S. under the Operation Allies Welcome program, the post-withdrawal relocation program for Afghan allies. The decision to review green cards comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration vetting in the wake of Lakamal’s identification. Federal officials continue to examine the suspect’s background, identify possible associates, and determine whether any failures occurred in the screening process.
