(VOVWORLD) - US President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered a wide-ranging review of asylum approvals granted under former President Joe Biden, along with green cards issued to citizens of 19 countries. He directed the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to carry out a strict examination of each green card case involving applicants from those countries.
The move came after two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House, an incident in which police later arrested a suspect.
US officials said the man accused of opening fire on the soldiers was an Afghan national who arrived in 2021 through a resettlement program. Following the attack, USCIS announced an immediate and open-ended halt to all immigration requests tied to Afghan citizens.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has pushed a tougher immigration agenda. Late last month, he set a record low refugee admissions ceiling of 7,500 for the 2026 fiscal year.