US suspends immigration requests for Afghans after National Guard shooting

The alleged gunman in the Washington shooting is an Afghan national who entered the US in September 2021.

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The US Citizenship and Immigration Services said the decision was made pending a review of "security and vetting protocols".

The suspect of Wednesday's shooting, which left two National Guard members critically injured, is said to have arrived in the US from Afghanistan in September 2021.

US President Donald Trump said the attack was an "act of terror", adding that he would take steps to remove foreigners "from any country who does not belong here".

Tens of thousands of Afghans entered the US under special immigration protections following the chaotic US withdrawal from the country in 2021 under former President Joe Biden.