In response to the shooting of two National Guard members near the White House by an Afghan national, the Trump administration has announced a rigorous review of all Green Cards that have been issued to immigrants from what it calls “every country of concern.”
US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow confirmed the move, saying he has ordered a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern” on the direction of President Donald Trump. Edlow posted on X, writing, “At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”
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Edlow said, “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. American safety is non-negotiable.”
The incident that led to the announcement involved Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who opened fire near the White House on Wednesday. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries, while Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition. Lakanwal had entered the US in 2021 under a programme launched by the Biden administration to resettle thousands of Afghans following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Who will be affected?
Although this new Green Card review initially raised concerns, Indians living in the US will not be affected by it. The guidance from the USCIS targets people from 19 "high-risk countries." These countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Burundi, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.
These are the same countries included in the travel ban proclamation announced by President Trump in June 2025. The country-specific factors listed will now be considered for immigration requests reviewed by USCIS officials, especially those filed or pending on or after Nov. 27.
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What this means for Green Card holders?
Green Cards, also known as Permanent Resident Cards, are a documentation of legal resident status in the US. They allow holders to live and work indefinitely in the country, plus grant a pathway to US citizenship, often after three to five years. As per a report by the Hindustan Times, holders from the listed countries may be subject to a more stringent review process, while others, such as Indians, would maintain their immigration processes without any changes under new guidance.
