US Orders Review of Green Cards From 19 “Countries of Concern” After Washington Shooting

The Trump administration has announced a sweeping review of all permanent residents from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following Wednesday’s attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

Suspect Identified as Afghan Asylum Seeker

US officials confirmed that the detained shooter is a 29-year-old Afghan national, previously employed alongside US forces in Afghanistan.
According to AfghanEvac — an organization involved in relocating Afghans after the 2021 Taliban takeover — the suspect was granted asylum in April 2025, not a Green Card.

USCIS Orders Comprehensive Review

Joseph Edlow, Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), announced on X:

“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”

When asked to define these countries, USCIS referenced President Donald Trump’s June executive order listing 19 nations as “countries of Identified Concern.”

Countries Affected

Full Travel Ban (12 countries)

These nations face an almost complete entry ban:

• Afghanistan
• Myanmar
• Chad
• Congo-Brazzaville
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Libya
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Yemen

Partial Travel Ban (7 countries)

Travel from these nations is restricted, but some temporary work visas are still allowed:

• Burundi
• Cuba
• Laos
• Sierra Leone
• Togo
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela

Renewed Immigration Scrutiny

The review represents one of the Trump administration’s largest immigration actions in months, aligning with its long-standing focus on national security vetting. Critics warn that such mass reviews could affect thousands of lawful residents and asylum seekers living peacefully in the United States.