The US has suspended the processing of all immigration requests for Afghan nationals pending a review of 'security and vetting protocols,' the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced.

In a post on X, the agency stated: 'The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission.'

The decision follows an incident where two National Guard soldiers were critically injured in a shooting near the White House. The alleged gunman was identified as an Afghan national who entered the US in September 2021.

President Donald Trump characterized the attack as an 'act of terror' and voiced intentions to remove foreigners 'from any country who does not belong here.'

Tens of thousands of Afghans were evacuated to the US under special immigration protections following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

The accused shooter, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the country under a program called Operation Allies Welcome. Following the shooting, Trump urged a comprehensive reevaluation of every alien who has entered the US from Afghanistan under Biden's administration. This latest halt to immigration requests builds upon an existing travel ban issued earlier in the year, targeting Afghan nationals among others.

The current policies allow for some Afghan nationals holding Special Immigration Visas, specifically those who assisted the US military, to bypass the ban, but many face uncertainty as the government reassesses its immigration protocols.

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