The Trump administration has halted all asylum claim decisions after the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington DC. This pause will remain until all aliens can be vetted and screened thoroughly, according to USCIS director Joseph Edlow.

• All asylum claim decisions have been halted following a shooting that left one soldier dead and another in critical condition, perpetrated by an Afghan national.
• The USCIS – a branch of the Department of Homeland Security – has been instructed not to approve, deny, or close asylum applications for all nationalities.
• The shooting suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, came to the US in 2021 under a program for Afghans who worked with US forces. He reportedly applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted it after Trump returned to office.