Following the shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., the United States government has announced a sweeping review of all Green Card holders originating from designated “countries of concern,” with the possibility of revoking lawful permanent residency where necessary.
The directive was issued on Thursday by Joseph Edlow, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
“At the direction of the President, I have ordered a full-scale and rigorous re-examination of every Green Card issued to nationals from every country of concern,” Edlow stated.
He described the move as essential to safeguarding national security. “The protection of this country and the American people remains paramount. The nation cannot continue to bear the cost of prior administrations’ reckless resettlement policies. American safety is non-negotiable,” he said.
The announcement comes hours after the arrest of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, identified by authorities as “a criminal alien from Afghanistan,” in connection with the shooting of the two guardsmen.
Countries currently designated as “of concern” include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
