On November 27, 2025, two members of the West Virginia National Guard were critically injured in a shooting incident near the White House. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, opened fire while the Guardsmen were conducting patrols in Farragut Square. Lakanwal, who had entered the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome, was also injured during the incident and apprehended by responding troops.

The shooting has prompted a response from various officials, including Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who characterized it as a targeted attack. Former President Donald Trump labeled the incident an act of terror and called for a reevaluation of immigration policies concerning Afghan nationals, raising questions about the vetting processes for refugees and asylum seekers. Following the incident, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a suspension of processing immigration requests from Afghan nationals pending a review of security protocols.

Lakanwal arrived in the U.S. in September 2021 as part of a program aimed at resettling Afghans who assisted U.S. forces. Reports indicate that he had overstayed his visa, which expired in September 2023. The incident has reignited discussions surrounding the treatment of Afghan refugees and the implications of U.S. immigration policies, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges faced by those who fled the Taliban regime.

Eyewitness accounts described the chaos during the shooting, with emergency responders providing aid to the injured Guardsmen. The FBI has initiated an investigation into the motives behind the attack, which remain unclear. The incident underscores the complexities surrounding national security and immigration policy, particularly as the U.S. grapples with balancing humanitarian efforts with public safety concerns.