USCIS pauses asylum decisions after shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow announced Friday that his agency is halting asylum decisions after a deadly shooting killed one National Guard member and injured another Wednesday. 

The suspect in the shooting is an Afghan national who entered the U.S. with a special visa in 2021 in connection with the end of U.S. involvement in the war in Afghanistan and was living in Washington state. 

Edlow said the pause will remain in place until all the necessary vetting steps are completed to ensure American safety.

"USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible," the director posted on X. "The safety of the American people always comes first."

The move also comes a day after President Donald Trump said he will "permanently pause" all immigration from "third world countries."

The U.S. State Department also posted to X on Friday that it will pause all visa issuances to Afghan nationals. 

"President Trump’s State Department has paused visa issuance for ALL individuals traveling on Afghan passports," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "The United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people."

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.