U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has placed an indefinite hold on all immigration petitions and benefit requests involving Afghan nationals after a shooting near the White House left two National Guard soldiers critically wounded. President Donald Trump called the incident “an act of terror” and said the suspect arrived from Afghanistan in 2021.
Effective immediately, Afghan-related I-130 family petitions, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) cases, employment authorizations and adjustment-of-status filings have been suspended. A USCIS post on X said the freeze will remain until the agency completes a “full security posture review.” Immigration lawyers report that electronic case-status updates for Afghan applicants now show the notation “Action Temporarily Withheld Pending HQ Guidance.”
![USCIS Freezes Afghan Immigration Cases After Washington Shooting]()
The halt throws thousands of family-reunification and humanitarian-parole cases into limbo, including many processed under the expansive “Operation Allies Welcome” program launched after the 2021 Kabul airlift. Employers with H-1B or O-1 candidates in Afghanistan will need to explore remote-work or third-country posting options.
Policy analysts say the suspension fits a broader administration effort to re-evaluate Biden-era admissions and tighten national-security vetting. However, critics argue that the blanket pause risks pushing vulnerable Afghans into unsafe third-country situations and undermines U.S. commitments to wartime partners. Legal challenges are expected if the freeze persists beyond the immediate investigation.
Effective immediately, Afghan-related I-130 family petitions, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) cases, employment authorizations and adjustment-of-status filings have been suspended. A USCIS post on X said the freeze will remain until the agency completes a “full security posture review.” Immigration lawyers report that electronic case-status updates for Afghan applicants now show the notation “Action Temporarily Withheld Pending HQ Guidance.”
The halt throws thousands of family-reunification and humanitarian-parole cases into limbo, including many processed under the expansive “Operation Allies Welcome” program launched after the 2021 Kabul airlift. Employers with H-1B or O-1 candidates in Afghanistan will need to explore remote-work or third-country posting options.
Policy analysts say the suspension fits a broader administration effort to re-evaluate Biden-era admissions and tighten national-security vetting. However, critics argue that the blanket pause risks pushing vulnerable Afghans into unsafe third-country situations and undermines U.S. commitments to wartime partners. Legal challenges are expected if the freeze persists beyond the immediate investigation.
