(MENAFN) According to reports, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces on Wednesday that all immigration processing for Afghan nationals is put on hold after two National Guard members are shot in Washington, DC.

The agency states on social media platform X: "Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols." It adds: "The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission."

The suspension follows the shooting of two National Guard members in the nation’s capital just before the Thanksgiving holiday.

President Donald Trump notes that the suspect entered the US from Afghanistan in 2021 during former President Joe Biden’s administration, vowing "to ensure that the animal who perpetrated this atrocity pays the steepest possible price."

According to reports citing law enforcement sources, the suspect has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, who is currently in custody. Trump further asserts that the administration "must now reexamine every single alien" who has entered the US from Afghanistan under Biden. He adds: "We must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country."

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