Insight into the vetting process of the National Guard shooting suspect

The fatal shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. last week has reignited a nationwide discussion on U.S. immigration policy and whether warning signs about the suspected attacker were overlooked by federal authorities. Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old citizen of Afghanistan. One of the wounded soldiers later died from injuries sustained in the attack.

In response, the Trump administration pointed to the incident as justification for broadening its enforcement measures. All visa and immigration processing for Afghan nationals has been temporarily halted, a review of green card applications from immigrants representing 19 countries has been ordered, and asylum case rulings have been placed on hold.

Lakanwals precise motives have not yet been confirmed. Over the weekend, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem suggested that he may have become radicalized after arriving in the United States. Emails reviewed by CBS News also suggested his mental health declined in recent years, and that he became increasingly socially withdrawn and disconnected from relatives.

Officials from the Trump administration blamed the Biden administration for allowing him into the country in 2021, while critics of Trump argued that the current administration bears responsibility for approving his asylum earlier this year. However, a closer look at his immigration history indicates that multiple opportunities for in-depth review existed under both administrations.

September 2021: Entry into the United States

Lakanwal entered the U.S. in September 2021 during Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program that resettled tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal and Taliban takeover. According to government officials familiar with his case, he was granted humanitarian parole, a temporary legal status that allowed more than 77,000 Afghans to live and work in the U.S. in two-year intervals.

This parole status was intended as a short-term solution while evacuees applied for permanent legal options such as asylum or Special Immigrant Visas. Prior to arriving in the U.S., all evacuees were expected to undergo security screening at military facilities in countries such as Italy, Germany, Qatar, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. Individuals who raised red flags were transferred to Kosovo for further review.

After arriving in the U.S., many evacuees, including Lakanwal, were placed in temporary housing at American military bases before resettling in communities nationwide. At the time, Republican members of Congress expressed concerns about the overall effectiveness of the Biden administrations screening process. A 2022 report from the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of Inspector General later found that vetting procedures were hindered by missing or incomplete data.

December 2024: Application for Asylum

In December 2024, Lakanwal submitted an application for asylum through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), claiming he would face persecution if returned to Afghanistan. This step triggered another round of background and security checks, according to officials.

The standard asylum process typically includes fingerprinting, biometric data collection, background investigations by the FBI and other agencies, and a review of social media activity. Applicants must also demonstrate a credible fear of persecution based on factors such as race, nationality, religion, political beliefs, or membership in a specific social group.

Due to a federal court settlement during the Biden administration, Afghan asylum cases have been fast-tracked in recent years. Government data indicates that 96% of Afghan applications decided since mid-2021 were approvedmore than 20,000 out of approximately 21,200 cases.

Two government officials and a former Afghan military source told CBS News that Lakanwal allegedly served in a so-called Zero Unit, a secretive, CIA-backed elite force that operated during the former Afghan government. This association could have placed him at risk of retaliation from the Taliban.

April 2025: Asylum Approved

USCIS approved Lakanwals asylum application in April 2025, granting him protected status in the U.S., including any immediate family approved as derivatives. While this designation confirmed he met the legal definition of a refugee, it did not automatically grant him permanent residency.

After one year of holding asylum status, recipients can apply for a green card. Lakanwal had already submitted such an applicationknown as an adjustment of status requestwhich remained under review at the time of the shooting.

Under U.S. law, asylum status can be revoked if the individual is found to have committed serious crimes or engaged in fraud. In such cases, USCIS must provide formal notice, and the individual is then placed into deportation proceedings overseen by federal immigration judges. According to a DHS official, any action on Lakanwals immigration status would likely come only after the conclusion of his criminal proceedings related to last weeks attack.