Kelly accuses Trump administration of 'harassing' Afghan refugees following National Guard shooting

Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, expressed concern on Sunday over the treatment of Afghan migrants by the Trump administration. He described the administration's actions as harassment targeting individuals who, in his view, are simply trying to build normal lives in the United States.

During an interview with Dana Bash on CNNs State of the Union, Kelly stated, Targeting a large population of people, many of whom are just seeking to live peacefully, work, and raise families, years after they arrived, seems unreasonable to me.

The criticism follows a decision by the Trump administration to suspend immigration from Afghanistan indefinitely on Wednesday. This action came shortly after two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot in Washington, D.C. The suspected attacker, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. in 2021 under a program for those who assisted American forces during the two-decade war in Afghanistan.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, approximately 88,500 Afghan nationals entered the U.S. through Operation Allies Welcome by September 2022. The Migration Policy Institute reports that around 195,000 Afghan migrants were residing in the United States as of 2022.

One of the National Guard victims, U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, aged 20, succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, while U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.

Following the incident, President Trump announced that his administration will review the cases of all Afghan migrants who arrived during the Biden administration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow confirmed that his agency will reassess green cards for individuals from 19 countries, including Afghanistan, under presidential directive. Additionally, the State Department has paused issuing visas to Afghan nationals in response to the shooting.

Senator Kelly emphasized the importance of vetting newcomers, while acknowledging that those who assisted U.S. efforts in Afghanistan provided valuable service and should have the chance to resettle in America. We are a nation built by immigrants, Kelly noted.

Author: Sophia Brooks