The Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House on Wednesday, Rahmanullah Lakanwal (29), will face first-degree murder charges.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the charge upgrade, stating the attack was a "premeditated murder." The attack resulted in the death of Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom (20) on Thursday, while the other Guardsman, Andrew Wolfe (24), remains in critical condition. President Donald Trump has publicly labeled the incident a "terrorist attack," and officials have confirmed a terrorism probe is underway.
The incident has immediately impacted the U.S. immigration debate, with President Trump announcing a major policy change:
Migration Freeze: Trump stated on Truth Social that he will "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries" to allow the U.S. system to "fully recover."
Deportation and Admissions: He also pledged to "terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions" and "remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States."
Review of Asylum/Green Cards: Less than 24 hours after the shooting, Trump officials ordered widespread reviews of asylum cases approved under the Biden administration and green cards issued to citizens of 19 countries, including Afghanistan. They are also "looking at the whole situation with family" regarding the suspect's wife and five children.
Lakanwal entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program for resettling Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the war. He was part of a CIA-backed unit in Afghanistan.
Crucially, Lakanwal was granted asylum this year under the Trump administration, according to a U.S. government file seen by Reuters.
Investigators report Lakanwal drove across the country from Washington state and used a powerful .357 Magnum revolver in the attack before being wounded in an exchange of gunfire.
The incident and subsequent policy announcements have drawn criticism from international bodies: U.N. agencies appealed to the U.S. to continue allowing asylum seekers access and due process, urging the country to honor its commitments under the 1953 Refugee Convention.
Jasmin Lilian Diab of the Lebanese American University's Institute for Migration cautioned that using an "isolated incident to justify mass restrictions is inconsistent with evidence showing no link between refugee arrivals and increased crime." The shooting is expected to give the Trump administration a basis to argue that even legal immigration pathways, such as asylum, pose security risks.
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