US Orders Sweeping Review of Green Cards From 19 Countries After Attack on Capitol National Guard Troops

The United States government has launched a comprehensive review of the immigration status of all Green Card holders from 19 countries designated as “of concern,” following a shooting attack on National Guard personnel in Washington, D.C.

The announcement came Thursday from Joseph Edlow, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), who said the directive was issued in response to mounting security worries after the incident. The suspect, identified as a 29-year-old Afghan national, was arrested shortly after the attack. According to AfghanEvac — an organization involved in the resettlement of Afghans after the 2021 Taliban takeover — the man had been granted asylum in the United States in April but had not yet obtained permanent residency.

Edlow, writing on X, said he had ordered “a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” signaling the beginning of what could become one of the broadest immigration audits in recent history.

A USCIS spokesperson later clarified that the countries under review correspond to those listed in President Donald Trump’s June executive order identifying 19 nations as potential security risks. That order imposed a near-total travel ban on nationals from 12 of the countries, including Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and several African states such as Eritrea and Chad.

Additionally, the Trump directive placed partial restrictions on visitors and some visa applicants from seven others — Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela — though certain temporary work visas remain permitted.

Wednesday’s attack has reignited debates in Washington over vetting procedures for asylum seekers and immigrants from conflict-prone regions. Federal agencies are expected to begin the Green Card reassessment immediately, though it remains unclear how long the nationwide review will take or what outcomes it may produce.

The White House has not yet stated whether further immigration restrictions will follow, but officials confirmed the security review would be “extensive and uncompromising.”