WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that his administration plans to maintain an indefinite pause on asylum decisions following a deadly shooting near the White House. The attack, carried out by an Afghan national, left one National Guard member dead and another critically injured.
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Trump said he had “no time limit” for the pause, which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) linked to a list of 19 countries already facing US travel restrictions. “We don’t want those people… many have been no good, and they shouldn’t be in our country,” Trump said.
The shooting occurred on November 26, when 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly opened fire near the White House. Lakanwal, an Afghan national, has been charged with first-degree murder. He had entered the US in 2021 under a CIA-backed “partner force” resettlement programme following the American military withdrawal from Afghanistan and was granted asylum in April 2025.
Officials have criticised previous vetting procedures, blaming the Biden administration for allowing Lakanwal’s admission, despite concerns about resettlement screening. Following the attack, Trump indicated plans to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover.”
The DHS confirmed that the pause affects nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, and Myanmar. Since June, these nations have faced travel restrictions, and the pause now extends to asylum processing, further limiting entry for vulnerable populations.
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The administration’s move is expected to spark debates on immigration policy and national security, with critics warning it could harm US commitments to refugees while supporters argue it strengthens border and public safety measures.