US green cards under scrutiny: Why the Trump administration is re-examining 19 countries

The Trump administration has announced a sweeping review of green cards issued to immigrants from 19 countries, citing national security concerns.

The move follows a shooting incident near the White House in which two National Guard members were attacked, allegedly by an Afghan national.

The head of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Joseph Edlow, said President Trump had ordered “a full scale, rigorous re-examination” of all green cards belonging to people from what the administration calls “countries of concern”.

“The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies,” said Edlow.

When asked for specifics, USCIS referred to a White House proclamation issued in June. That document named Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia and Venezuela among the countries facing restrictions.

The policy argues that these nations represent higher security risks due to issues such as limited government cooperation, weak identity-verification systems, or high rates of visa overstays.

For example, the proclamation points to Afghanistan, saying the country is controlled by the Taliban and lacks reliable systems for issuing passports or verifying identity documents.

Green card holders from other countries affected by earlier restrictions, including Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo and Libya, will also be included in this new review.

The announcement came just hours after an Afghan national allegedly opened fire on National Guard troops patrolling near the White House.

One soldier, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, later died of her injuries. Another guardsman, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition.

President Trump condemned the incident as a “terrorist attack” during a Thanksgiving call with US troops and suggested the shooting underscored the need for tougher immigration checks. He also linked the attack to his decision to deploy National Guard forces in several US cities.

The suspect has been identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who previously worked with US partner forces in Afghanistan.

Officials say Lakanwal had been part of a CIA-backed unit before arriving in the United States in 2021 under the Operation Allies Welcome programme, which assisted Afghans who supported US military and intelligence operations.

The FBI has launched an international terrorism investigation. Agents have searched properties linked to Lakanwal, seizing electronic devices and interviewing relatives as they try to determine a motive.

CIA and FBI officials have claimed Lakanwal entered the US due to what they describe as “lax” vetting processes after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

However, AfghanEvac — a group involved in relocating at-risk Afghans — disputes this, saying evacuees undergo “some of the most extensive security vetting” of any migrant group. The organisation noted that Lakanwal was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration itself.

The case has inflamed debate over Trump’s immigration policies, his deployment of National Guard units to US cities, and the broader legacy of America’s war in Afghanistan.

In response to the shooting, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced an additional 500 troops would be sent to Washington, bringing the total to 2,500.

The administration says the expanded green card review is necessary to protect national security. Critics, however, argue that using a single violent incident to justify sweeping immigration actions risks stigmatising entire communities.

With inputs from AFP