The Afghan community in the United States has united in condemnation of Wednesday’s fatal shooting in Washington DC that claimed the life of 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom and left her colleague Andrew Wolfe critically injured. The alleged perpetrator, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the U.S. through a special immigration program established for Afghans who collaborated with American forces during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In response to the incident, President Donald Trump has implemented an immediate suspension of all Afghan immigration applications and ordered a comprehensive review of green cards issued to nationals from 19 countries. The administration has signaled potential broader restrictions on migration from what it characterizes as ‘third-world countries.’
The Afghan Community Coalition of America expressed profound sympathy for the victims’ families while urging authorities not to delay or suspend Afghan immigration claims. ‘Twenty years of Afghan-US partnership must not be forgotten,’ their statement emphasized, referencing the two-decade military engagement that began in 2001.
Multiple Afghan immigrants who spoke with media outlets on condition of anonymity due to Taliban reprisal concerns described the shooting as ‘deeply tragic’ and ‘really shocking.’ They emphasized that the suspect’s actions represented an individual criminal act rather than reflecting their community’s values. ‘Afghans in the United States are hardworking, tax-paying members of society,’ one interviewee noted, adding that many remain grateful for American evacuation efforts during the Kabul crisis.
Lakanwal reportedly assisted U.S. forces as a guard at Kabul airport during the withdrawal operation and entered America the same year. According to official sources, his asylum application was approved earlier this year after being filed in 2024. The FBI confirms the suspect had established relationships with ‘partner forces’ during the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.
The political fallout has created widespread uncertainty among immigrant communities, with many expressing concern about potential policy changes that could affect their status. One Afghan resident articulated the dual challenges facing his community: ‘For us Afghans there’s problem for us in Afghanistan as well as here.’