The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has enacted a policy to suspend immigration applications from 19 countries already facing travel restrictions. This decision follows a tragic incident in Washington, D.C., where two National Guard members were shot, resulting in one death. The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the US in September 2021, had previously been granted asylum under the Trump administration.

The countries affected by this immigration halt include Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen. USCIS justified the policy by citing concerns over the screening and vetting processes for individuals from these high-risk nations, asserting the need for a comprehensive review.

Critics have condemned this move as an unjust scapegoating of entire nationalities for the actions of a single individual. Tanya Greene, the US director of Human Rights Watch, stated that the policy is not based on safety but rather on stigmatization. The National Immigrant Justice Center criticized the administration for exploiting the tragedy to advance anti-immigrant policies, arguing that such actions undermine the rights of those seeking asylum and protection under US and international law. Uzra Zeya, CEO of Human Rights First, called for moral leadership instead of punitive measures that could exacerbate xenophobia and violence.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has urged Congress to investigate the expansion of these discriminatory policies, asserting that the blanket suspension of asylum processing does not enhance safety and is fundamentally unjust. Concerns have also been raised by the National Iranian American Council regarding the emotional and legal turmoil this policy could cause for individuals awaiting citizenship.

In a separate but related issue, a report from the Department of Defense revealed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth breached departmental policies by sharing classified information in a Signal messaging chat. This chat included sensitive details about a planned airstrike in Yemen targeting Houthi fighters and involved other officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The report indicated that the information shared could have posed risks to US troops if intercepted by adversaries. Hegseth, who declined to participate in an interview with the inspector general, defended his actions in a written statement, asserting that he did not jeopardize lives or missions and claimed his right to declassify materials. The findings of this report have been forwarded to Congress, with an unclassified version expected to be released soon.