United States President Donald Trump has ordered a strict and comprehensive review of all green cards issued to people from 19 countries classified as “countries of concern.” The directive comes a day after an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard members near the White House, an incident US authorities are investigating as a potential act of terrorism.
USCIS Director Joe Edlow announced that the President has instructed a “full-scale, rigorous reexamination” of every green card issued to nationals from these countries. The move follows a broader review by the Department of Homeland Security, which is reassessing all asylum approvals granted under the Biden administration, claiming widespread failures in vetting.
According to CNN, the 19 designated countries include Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Haiti, Eritrea, Venezuela, Cuba, Togo, Laos, Chad, Myanmar, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Turkmenistan.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the DC shooting is being treated as terrorism, with investigators carrying out search warrants across multiple states in what he described as a “coast-to-coast investigation.” The administration says the reviews aim to strengthen national security and prevent exploitation of immigration systems.
