CaliToday (29/11/2025): The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced an unprecedented and sweeping measure: the immediate suspension of all 2.2 million pending asylum applications. This drastic action follows the deadly ambush of National Guard soldiers near the White House on the eve of Thanksgiving by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national granted asylum during the previous administration.
The attack, which tragically resulted in the death of 20-year-old soldier Sarah Beckstrom and severely wounded her comrade, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, has triggered an urgent, sweeping security review across all federal immigration agencies under the renewed Trump Administration.
The Attacker and the Security Breakdown
Lakanwal, 29, was reportedly a member of the "Zero Unit," an Afghan commando force that had previously collaborated with the CIA. He was brought to the U.S. under the Biden administration and controversially granted asylum status in April, which would have qualified him for a green card by 2026.
The White House quickly framed the tragedy as a direct consequence of the "total collapse" of immigration standards under the prior administration, specifically citing mass amnesty and parole programs that allegedly lacked proper security vetting.
The response from the DHS was immediate and definitive. Joseph Edlow, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), announced the policy shift on social media platform X:
“We have paused all asylum decisions until we can ensure every applicant has been vetted to the fullest extent possible. The safety of the American people is always the absolute priority.” — Joseph Edlow, USCIS Director
A Broader Immigration Crackdown
In a related move, the Department of State has also confirmed the immediate suspension of all visa processing for individuals holding Afghan passports. The Trump administration asserts that the President’s top priority remains the protection of American citizens, and these decisions are integral to the rapidly deploying “America First Defense” security plan.
The suspension of asylum cases comes as the administration accelerates its plan to re-vet over 720,000 green card holders from 19 “countries of concern.” This list heavily features Afghanistan, along with Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Iran. While the DHS has not confirmed if these permanent residents will be subjected to re-interviewing, the policy message is clear: anyone deemed not an "asset" to the United States will face scrutiny for potential removal.
Data and Political Context
President Trump and his administration have consistently blamed the previous policies for a border crisis that saw monthly crossings soar to a record high of over 301,000 in December 2024. Following the implementation of the new administration’s restrictive policies, DHS data shows a dramatic reduction, with monthly crossings falling below 8,000.
The President took to Truth Social to underscore the necessity of the crackdown:
“Only through IMMIGRATION REVERSAL will we save the situation. We will remove millions of illegal Biden-era immigrants and permanently pause immigration from Third World countries while our system recovers.” — President Donald J. Trump
The sweeping DHS pause signals a foundational shift in U.S. immigration policy, moving away from humanitarian considerations to prioritize national security and what the administration defines as "extreme vetting."