Afghans in the US Urge Trump Not to Escalate Response After DC Shooting
Afghan nationals in the US are calling on President Trump to reconsider his stance following a shooting incident involving an Afghan national. — Afghans in the US.
Context of the Incident — Afghans in the US
On November 28, 2025, a Washington, D.C. shooting near the White House left one National Guard member dead and another critically injured. Authorities identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the country in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era airlift and resettlement initiative for vulnerable Afghans, and who later received asylum in 2025.
In the immediate aftermath, President Trump labeled the attack a terrorist act and announced a halt to all asylum decisions nationwide, along with a pause on issuing visas for people traveling on Afghan passports. He followed that by calling for a “permanent pause” on migration from what he called “Third World countries,” tying the shooting directly to his broader anti-immigration agenda.
For Afghans in the US, the message is chilling. Many arrived after risking their lives to help American troops, diplomats, and aid organizations during the two-decade war in Afghanistan. Now they are watching the actions of one man being used to question the presence and loyalty of tens of thousands of people who passed repeated U.S. security screenings and thought they had finally found safety.
Advocates estimate that roughly 76,000 Afghans were brought to the United States after the fall of Kabul in 2021, alongside thousands more who came on Special Immigrant Visas as interpreters, drivers, and support staff for U.S. forces. The shooting has become the first major test of how securely Afghans in the US can rely on those promises of protection when a high-profile crime puts them under a political spotlight.
Community Response: Rejecting Collective Punishment
Across Afghan communities in Virginia, California, Texas, and Washington state, local leaders are urging the White House not to punish an entire population for the actions of one person. Refugee organizations and mutual aid groups report that Afghans in the US are frightened, with many families cancelling travel, skipping English classes, and avoiding public gatherings for fear of harassment or immigration sweeps.
Community advocates have been blunt: the suspect represents himself, not an entire nationality or faith. In interviews with U.S. and international outlets, Afghan Americans and newly arrived evacuees have stressed that they came to the United States precisely to escape the violence and instability that now dominates the political conversation about them.
Leaders of Afghan support networks—groups like #AfghanEvac, No One Left Behind, and local mosque committees—are drafting open letters and organizing town halls to appeal directly to Trump administration officials. Their core demand is simple: Afghans in the US should not be treated as a suspect class because of one attack, especially when the suspect had already undergone multiple layers of U.S. security vetting before being admitted and granted asylum.
For many Afghans in the US, the president’s rhetoric feels less like a targeted security review and more like collective punishment. When Trump talks about “reverse migration,” mass reviews of asylum approvals, and cutting off benefits for non-citizens, they hear a threat to the fragile stability they have only recently begun to build.
Who Afghans in the US Actually Are
It is easy to lose sight of basic facts amid the political noise. Afghans in the US are not a monolith; they include U.S. citizens who have lived here for decades, recent evacuees, Special Immigrant Visa holders, students, and lawful permanent residents. Many worked alongside U.S. troops, NATO forces, or intelligence agencies, often at great personal risk.
Under Operation Allies Welcome, Afghans were admitted only after passing intensive biometric and biographic checks run by multiple U.S. agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the National Counterterrorism Center. Those processes do not guarantee that no one will ever commit a crime—no system can—but they do undercut the narrative that Afghans in the US are simply “unvetted migrants” slipped past the border.
Refugee resettlement experts also note that refugees, including Afghans, have historically had some of the lowest rates of criminal involvement among foreign-born groups. Most Afghans in the US are focused on finding housing, learning English, enrolling their children in school, and navigating a complicated legal process to secure permanent status. For them, the idea that they are a security threat rather than partners is both painful and surreal.
Political Implications of Trump’s Escalation
Trump’s response to the shooting fits a familiar pattern. Within hours, he announced not only the asylum freeze and Afghan visa halt, but also a sweeping review of asylum and green card approvals under the prior administration, signaling a wider crackdown on migrants from poorer nations.
Civil rights groups, immigration attorneys, and refugee advocates have condemned these moves as disproportionate and legally dubious. They argue that pausing all asylum decisions—even for people with no connection to Afghanistan—turns Afghans in the US into a political pretext for restricting protection across the board.
For Afghans in the US, the political fallout is not an abstract policy fight. An extended asylum freeze means families who were finally close to securing safety could be pushed back into uncertainty. Tightened enforcement powers raise fears of raids, detentions, or deportations based on technicalities rather than actual security concerns. Community leaders worry that their neighbors will see headlines about “Afghan shooter” and absorb the message that all Afghans are dangerous.
At the same time, some Republicans have used the attack to argue that Afghan resettlement was a mistake altogether, despite earlier bipartisan support for helping wartime allies. That turn leaves Afghans in the US wondering whether the political promises made during the evacuation—“we will not forget you”—are already being walked back.
Fear, Backlash, and Daily Life for Afghans in the US
The human impact of this climate is already visible. Refugee caseworkers in cities like Seattle, Washington, and San Diego report that clients are cancelling appointments, declining job interviews, and even pulling children out of after-school programs because they fear verbal abuse or worse.
Some Afghans in the US say they have been harassed on public transit or in grocery stores since the shooting, with strangers telling them to “go back” or accusing them of supporting terrorism. These incidents are hard to track systematically, but advocates say the pattern echoes earlier spikes in anti-Muslim and anti-Middle Eastern harassment after terrorist attacks or high-profile crimes.
Refugee organizations and Afghan community groups are trying to respond on multiple fronts. They are increasing know-your-rights trainings, setting up hotlines for people who fear immigration enforcement, and coordinating with local law enforcement and civil rights groups to document hate incidents. At the same time, they are encouraging Afghans in the US to share their own stories publicly—of working with U.S. forces, of surviving Taliban violence, of watching their children attend American schools for the first time—as a counterweight to the narrow narrative dominating national headlines.
What a Measured Response Could Look Like
Security experts and refugee advocates argue that it is possible to address legitimate public safety concerns without turning Afghans in the US into scapegoats. A measured response could include a targeted review of specific cases tied to clear risk factors, transparent disclosure about how vetting works, and independent oversight of any new screening steps.
It would also mean reaffirming the U.S. commitment to Afghans who served alongside American forces or were otherwise placed in danger because of their ties to the United States. Those promises are not mere favors; they are moral debts incurred over two decades of war. Breaking them now, under political pressure, would send a message heard far beyond Afghanistan: that trusting the United States can be a life-threatening gamble.
For Afghans in the US, the ask is straightforward. They want the administration to distinguish sharply between individual wrongdoing and community identity, to base policy on evidence rather than fear, and to recognize that punishing refugees for the actions of one man will not make America safer.
Bottom Line
The National Guard shooting in Washington, D.C., is a tragedy that demands a serious response. But Afghans in the US are urging President Trump not to turn that response into a blanket indictment of an entire population that has already endured war, displacement, and years of vetting.
Halting all asylum decisions, freezing Afghan visas, and talking about “reverse migration” might satisfy a desire to look tough, but they risk sacrificing due process, humanitarian commitments, and basic fairness. The choice now is whether the U.S. treats Afghans in the US as partners who came here on a promise—or as convenient targets in a broader political fight over immigration.
Further Reading
Associated Press – “Refugee groups worry about backlash after shooting of National Guard soldiers in DC.”
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/refugee-groups-worry-backlash-after-shooting-national-guard-127934299
Associated Press – “US halts all asylum decisions as suspect in shooting of National Guard members faces murder charge.”
https://apnews.com/article/3459a0a773cfa40c90751b43e38f5db6
Reuters – “Trump vows to freeze migration from ‘Third World Countries’ after D.C. attack.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-says-us-will-permanently-pause-migration-third-world-countries-2025-11-28/
PBS NewsHour – “Trump vows to stop immigration from poorer countries after fatal National Guard shooting.”
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-vows-to-stop-immigration-from-poorer-countries-after-fatal-national-guard-shooting
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty – “Afghan Refugees Worry As US Halts Immigration Requests After Shooting Kills At Least 1.”
https://www.rferl.org/a/refugees-afghan-immigration-requests-shooting-national-guard/33607579.html
Al Jazeera – “Major fallout for Afghans in US after National Guard shooting.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2025/11/27/major-fallout-for-afghans-in-us-after-national-guard-shooting
Washington Post – “Counterterrorism officials vetted Guard shooting suspect before he entered U.S.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/11/28/dc-shooting-afghan-resettlement-immigration/
AP News – “Trump pushes for more restrictions on Afghan refugees. Experts say many are already in place.”
https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-washington-shooting-suspect-afghan-national-kabul-aac0e1d5117d9b7aaa8ee12051a7b324
CBS News – “Officials instructed to pause all asylum decisions in wake of National Guard shooting.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/national-guard-shooting-dc-us-asylum-decisions-pause/
Wikipedia – “2025 Washington, D.C., National Guard shooting.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Washington%2C_D.C.%2C_National_Guard_shooting
Connect with the Author
Curious about the inspiration behind The Unmaking of America or want to follow the latest news and insights from J.T. Mercer? Dive deeper and stay connected through the links below—then explore Vera2 for sharp, timely reporting.
About the Author
Discover more about J.T. Mercer’s background, writing journey, and the real-world events that inspired The Unmaking of America. Learn what drives the storytelling and how this trilogy came to life.
[Learn more about J.T. Mercer]
NRP Dispatch Blog
Stay informed with the NRP Dispatch blog, where you’ll find author updates, behind-the-scenes commentary, and thought-provoking articles on current events, democracy, and the writing process.
[Read the NRP Dispatch]
Vera2 — News & Analysis
Looking for the latest reporting, explainers, and investigative pieces? Visit Vera2, North River Publications’ news and analysis hub. Vera2 covers politics, civil society, global affairs, courts, technology, and more—curated with context and built for readers who want clarity over noise.
[Explore Vera2]
Whether you’re interested in the creative process, want to engage with fellow readers, or simply want the latest updates, these resources are the best way to stay in touch with the world of The Unmaking of America—and with the broader news ecosystem at Vera2.
Free Chapter
Begin reading The Unmaking of America today and experience a story that asks: What remains when the rules are gone, and who will stand up when it matters most? Join the Fall of America mailing list below to receive the first chapter of The Unmaking of America for free and stay connected for updates, bonus material, and author news.
