The Aryavarth Express
Washington, DC: The Afghan community in the United States is urging a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the Thanksgiving Eve shooting near the White House that resulted in the death of a U.S. National Guard member, according to a report by Tolo News. The incident has sparked widespread concern among Afghan immigrants in the U.S. and abroad.
Saber Naseri, head of the Afghanistan–U.S. Relations Office, called for clarity and fairness in the probe.
“We have not seen any video proving that the individual, identified as Afghan, attacked an American,” Naseri said. “I visited the location, asked questions, and I want access to the footage to verify whether Lakanwal committed this act or not.”
Migrant rights advocates have also warned against allowing the actions of one person to lead to broad discrimination against Afghan migrants. Political analyst Wahed Faqiri emphasized that U.S. law treats crimes as individual acts, not collective responsibility.
“Afghans are calling on the U.S. government to uphold its principles and avoid generalizing one individual’s actions to the entire Afghan community,” he said.
In the aftermath of the shooting of two National Guard members—allegedly by an Afghan national—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new policy guidance. The updated guidelines allow USCIS officials to factor in country-specific risk assessments for individuals from 19 countries when reviewing immigration cases. The move follows earlier restrictions on Afghan refugee resettlement and entry during the first year of the Trump administration.
The shooting, carried out at close range in central Washington, prompted swift political reaction. Former President Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden’s prior immigration policies, claiming the suspect had entered the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021 and referring to the nation as a “hellhole.”
Authorities identified the accused as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. in 2021. Officials believe he acted alone.
