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Will Afghans with SIV, humanitarian parole, or asylum lose status or be re-screened after the DC shooting?

By Richard T. Herman

Immigration Articles, Immigration Guides, 10 min read

Table of Contents

Quick Answer (read this first)

  • No, there is no order automatically cancelling Afghan SIV, parole, refugee, or asylum status.

  • Yes, the government is actively re-screening Afghan cases following the DC National Guard shooting.

  • Expect delays, RFEs, NOIDs, and tougher renewal reviews — especially for humanitarian parole and pending asylum.

  • Afghan green card holders (SIVs) are legally the safest, but even they may face enhanced naturalization and background vetting.

This guide is built for journalists, policy researchers, lawyers, Afghan advocates, nonprofits, and Reddit communities seeking hard data, reliable sources, and actionable insights on impact of DC shooting on Afghan SIV parole asylum.

impact of DC shooting on Afghan SIV parole asylum DC shooting

What triggered the policy shift

The shooting

On November 26, 2025, two West Virginia National Guard soldiers were shot near Farragut West Metro Station in Washington, D.C. One soldier later died.

Multiple outlets confirmed that the alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan evacuee who later applied for asylum. You can read initial reporting from:

The political reaction

Within 48 hours, President Trump:

Why Afghans are singled out

Afghans represent one of the largest recent humanitarian resettlement groups due to Operation Allies Welcome, documented at the Department of Homeland Security:
https://www.dhs.gov/archive/operation-allies-welcome

Their arrival included:

  • Special Immigrant Visas (SIV)

  • Humanitarian parole

  • Refugee admissions

  • Defensive and affirmative asylum

These admissions are now being retroactively scrutinized for vetting failures.

Will Afghan SIV holders lose their green cards after the DC shooting?

Fast facts, data, and context

These numbers show that even small policy changes will affect tens of thousands of Afghan individuals and their families.

Can Afghan humanitarian parole be renewed in 2025–26? Are asylum decisions frozen nationwide for Afghans? Is Afghan visa processing suspended overseas? Can approved Afghan asylum be taken away later?

Status-by-status guidance: What Afghans must know now

1. Afghan SIV holders (green card)

Key facts:

  • SIV is the strongest Afghan immigration status.

  • SIVs are issued to Afghans who provided service to the U.S. military or contractors.

See Department of State resource:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/special-immg-visa-afghans-employed-us-gov.html

Legal protections:

  • SIV recipients generally become permanent residents (green card holders) upon arrival.

  • They must be placed in removal proceedings individually, with evidence and due process.

Realistic risks:

  • Naturalization delays

  • Requests for additional evidence at renewal stages (green card replacement, I-751, N-400, etc.)

  • Background investigations related to alleged “vetting failures”

To understand deportation risk for green card holders under enhanced enforcement, see:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/will-trump-deport-green-card-holders-2025-ohio-immigration-defense/

2. Afghan humanitarian parole

This group has the highest risk in 2025–26.

Why?

  • Parole expires and requires re-approval.

  • DHS can deny re-parole without a removal hearing.

  • Decisions may be based on security information, even if unproven.

Relevant resource for re-parole applicants:
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/information-for-afghan-nationals

Expect:

  • Deeper background checks

  • Social media review

  • RFEs for identity documentation

  • Extra screening at biometrics

HLG guide to security vetting rules explains what to prepare:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/understand-uscis-security-vetting-rules/

3. Afghan asylum (granted or pending)

Granted asylum can be terminated — but not automatically.

Grounds include:

  • Discovery of fraud

  • Serious criminal convictions

  • Evidence linking to terrorism

  • A finding that country conditions have changed

USCIS asylum overview:
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum

Current danger signs:

  • Program-wide re-screening

  • Requests for updated testimony

  • Motions to reopen older grants

HLG deep dive on asylum suspension:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/asylum-suspension-2025-guide-to-nationwide-asylum-decisions/

What has actually changed in policy

Confirmed:

Not confirmed / not issued:

  • No blanket cancellation of Afghan SIV green cards

  • No blanket termination of humanitarian parole

  • No blanket asylum revocation

The situation is fluid and likely to escalate.

What Afghans should expect next (realistic scenarios)

  1. More RFEs on re-parole filings

  2. Mandatory re-biometric appointments

  3. Naturalization delays for green card holders

  4. Selective reopening of older asylum grants

  5. Administrative processing at consulates abroad

  6. Longer EAD processing times for Afghans

  7. NTA issuance for Afghans with criminal records

  8. Travel document denials (I-131)

  9. ICE “national security reviews” targeting specific individuals

  10. Federal litigation over country-of-origin selective policies

HLG overview on post-shooting immigration crackdown:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/post-shooting-immigration-crackdown/

What Afghans should do now (action steps)

SIV / Green card

  • Keep AR-11 address records current

  • Avoid long trips abroad

  • Scan and store every immigration document

  • Get an attorney review if you ever had a criminal charge, arrest, or status lapse

Humanitarian parole

  • File re-parole early

  • Gather identity documentation, including old passport, Tazkira, evacuation documents, and I-94

  • Keep all receipts and notices together

Asylum (pending or granted)

  • Do NOT miss any USCIS or EOIR appointment

  • Keep a country conditions evidence folder

  • Save mental health records if you are receiving treatment due to trauma

Rights guidance for ICE encounters:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/ice-came-to-my-door-what-are-my-rights-if-im-undocumented-or-overstayed-2025-guide/

FAQ: Afghans with SIV, Humanitarian Parole, and Asylum After the DC Shooting

Will Afghan SIV holders lose their green cards because of the shooting?

Short answer:
No — green cards cannot be canceled automatically based solely on nationality.

Details:
Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders are lawful permanent residents. They still have due process rights in removal proceedings and individual evidence is required for any termination. For background, see the USCIS page on Afghan SIV green cards:
https://www.uscis.gov/green-card-for-an-afghan-employed-behalf-us-government

Will humanitarian parole for Afghans be revoked?

Short answer:
No blanket cancellation exists, but renewals are now harder.

Details:
USCIS can deny re-parole individually, especially in cases with missing documents or “security vetting” red flags. USCIS guidance:
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/information-for-afghan-nationals

Are asylum decisions actually frozen nationwide?

Short answer:
Yes — asylum decisions are currently paused at USCIS.

Details:
Multiple media outlets confirmed a national asylum freeze after the DC shooting.
Washington Post coverage:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/11/28/asylum-decisions-pause-trump-immigration/

Can valid asylum be taken away later?

Short answer:
Yes — but only through formal termination proceedings.

Details:
Asylum can be revoked if the government finds fraud, serious crimes, terrorism links, or major changes in country conditions. USCIS asylum overview:
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum

Will Afghan family petitions be blocked overseas?

Short answer:
Very likely in the short term.

Details:
Consular visa issuance for Afghan nationals abroad is currently suspended, making family reunification effectively impossible until the pause lifts. AP confirmation:
https://apnews.com/article/710973fb9bce4a83a9d979852865cdab

Can USCIS re-screen Afghans even after status was granted?

Short answer:
Yes — this is already happening.

Details:
Agencies run post-admission vetting using upgraded biometrics and database checks. CBS News report:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rahmanullah-lakanwal-national-guard-shooting-suspect-vetting-immigration/

What evidence should Afghans gather right now?

Short answer:
All immigration records plus country evidence.

Details:

  • Passport and travel history

  • Evacuation documentation

  • I-94 and parole notices

  • Service letter if SIV

  • Threat evidence if asylum

HLG guidance on evidence preparation:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/asylum-suspension-2025-guide-to-nationwide-asylum-decisions/

Is Afghanistan on a new travel ban list?

Short answer:
Not formally — but Afghan visas are paused.

Details:
The administration referenced a “permanent pause on migration from Third World countries.” Al Jazeera documentation:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/28/trump-pauses-immigration-from-third-world-countries-what-that-means

Will Afghans face social media screening?

Short answer:
Yes.

Details:
Security-based reviews of social media are part of USCIS’s enhanced vetting guidance models. See HLG’s security vetting rules:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/understand-uscis-security-vetting-rules/

Will naturalization become harder for Afghan green card holders?

Short answer:
Highly likely.

Details:
Expect longer N-400 processing, more background checks, and more requests for evidence, particularly regarding travel history and previous vetting.

Who is most at risk of removal?

Short answer:
Afghans with:

  • Criminal convictions

  • Terrorism allegations

  • Unresolved identity discrepancies

HLG resource on removability risks:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/will-trump-deport-green-card-holders-2025-ohio-immigration-defense/

How long will the asylum pause last?

Short answer:
Unknown.

Details:
There is no published timeline. Historically, “temporary” immigration suspensions have lasted months or even years, depending on litigation and Congress.

Can ICE show up at Afghan homes?

Short answer:
Yes, but Afghans still have legal rights.

Details:
You do not have to open the door. You do not have to speak. You can assert your right to remain silent and ask for a lawyer.
HLG rights guide:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/ice-came-to-my-door-what-are-my-rights-if-im-undocumented-or-overstayed-2025-guide/

Should Afghan asylum seekers withdraw their cases?

Short answer:
Generally no.

Details:
Withdrawing an asylum case can leave you without protection and with no status. Always consult a lawyer before withdrawing any immigration case.

Can Afghans still file asylum applications?

Short answer:
Yes.

Details:
USCIS is accepting asylum filings but not issuing decisions at this time.
A good beginner’s resource:
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum

Are Afghan refugees being targeted in particular states?

Short answer:
Yes, but unofficially.

Details:
Based on local reports, Afghan enforcement and vetting pressures are more noticeable in:

  • Virginia

  • Maryland

  • California

  • Texas

  • Ohio

These are major Afghan resettlement areas.

Will IR-1/CR-1 marriage cases for Afghan spouses be delayed?

Short answer:
Yes, dramatically.

Details:
Because Afghan visa issuance is currently suspended, family-based cases are stuck at the consulate stage until further notice.

Will Afghan students and workers face more visa denials?

Short answer:
Yes.

Details:
Administrative processing and visa revocations are likely to increase as Afghans are placed in “countries of concern” vetting categories for F-1, H-1B, O-1, and J-1 visas.

Are Afghan TPS (Temporary Protected Status) options available?

Short answer:
Not currently.

Details:
There is no TPS designation for Afghanistan at this time. Afghans must rely on SIV, asylum, humanitarian parole, or family petition pathways.

Should Afghans hire an immigration lawyer right now?

Short answer:
If you have humanitarian parole, pending asylum, old removal order, or any criminal record, yes.

Details:
Legal guidance is strongly recommended to avoid:

  • Re-parole denials

  • Termination motions

  • ICE referrals

  • NTA issuance

Schedule a confidential consultation:
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/book-consultation/

We speak Dari and Pashto.  Contact Attorney Tameem Ansari.

You Are Not Alone

If you are Afghan with SIV, humanitarian parole, or asylum and are concerned about status reviews, re-screening, re-parole decisions, or ICE referrals, you can speak confidentially with an experienced immigration attorney.

Schedule a consultation (plain markdown link below):
https://www.lawfirm4immigrants.com/book-consultation/

We speak Dari and Pashto.  Contact Attorney Tameem Ansari.

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Written By Richard Herman
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Richard Herman is a nationally recognizeis immigration attorney, Herman Legal Group began in Cleveland, Ohio, and has grown into a trusted law firm serving immigrants across the United States and beyond. With over 30 years of legal excellence, we built a firm rooted in compassion, cultural understanding, and unwavering dedication to your American dream.
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