Trump Admin ‘Looking at’ Deporting Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s...

By Billal Rahman

Immigration Reporter

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President Donald Trump said Thursday that his administration is examining whether to deport the family members of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.

When asked directly by a reporter whether he intends to remove Lakanwal’s wife and children from the United States, Trump responded, “Well, we’re looking at that right now. We’re looking at the whole situation with family.”

The two West Virginia National Guard members were attacked while deployed in Washington, D.C. Sarah Beckstrom, one of the soldiers shot near the White House, has died, Trump said on Thursday evening. The second soldier, Andrew Wolfe, underwent surgery, though Trump said Thursday that he remains “in bad shape” and is fighting for his life.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Lakanwal previously worked with the agency in Afghanistan. Several news outlets reported that Lawanwal was granted asylum in April by the Trump administration.

Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The initiative provided entry to roughly 76,000 Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s return to power that year.

Meanwhile, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Wednesday that all immigration processing for Afghan nationals has been indefinitely suspended. The agency has also ordered a comprehensive review of all green cards issued to immigrants from high-risk countries.

This is a developing story and will be updated.