Afghans living in the United States have condemned the “deeply tragic” shooting that left a National Guard member dead in Washington, D.C., while appealing to President Donald Trump not to penalise an entire community for the actions of a single individual.
The alleged gunman, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, arrived in the U.S. four years ago under a special immigration programme for Afghans who assisted American forces during and after the 2021 troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Authorities say Lakanwal fatally shot 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom on Wednesday and critically wounded her colleague, Andrew Wolfe, 24.
In response, the Trump administration has ordered a halt to all immigration requests from Afghans, launched a review of green cards issued to people from 19 countries, and signalled a broader crackdown on migration from what the president termed “third-world countries.”
On Friday, officials also suspended all decisions on asylum applications nationwide.
Afghan groups and individuals across the U.S. called the attack horrifying but stressed that it was an isolated act. The Afghan Community Coalition of United States issued condolences to the victims’ families and urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.
However, it warned against delaying or suspending Afghan immigration cases, saying that “twenty years of Afghan-US partnership must not be forgotten.”
Many Afghans interviewed by the BBC spoke anonymously, citing fear of Taliban reprisals against relatives still in Afghanistan.
One man who arrived in the U.S. in 2021 described the shooting as “deeply tragic,” noting both the emotional impact ahead of Thanksgiving and the tense political climate.
He emphasised that “Afghans in the United States are hardworking, tax-paying members of society” and that the act was “not representative of a community.”
Another recent Afghan arrival called the incident “really shocking” but insisted the shooting appeared to be an “individual crime… committed without any support.” Others expressed anxiety about the political fallout, saying immigrant communities now face heightened uncertainty.
Lakanwal, according to U.S. officials and former military personnel who served alongside him, had worked with American forces at Kabul airport during the chaotic 2021 evacuation. He was granted asylum earlier this year.
Afghan human rights activist Crystal Bayat, who resettled in the U.S. after the withdrawal, said she fears sudden policy reversals despite holding permanent residency.
“I have a fear every single day that… they deport us from here,” she said, urging the president not to “punish entire immigrant communities” or those who “stood shoulder to shoulder with the American people.”
Advocates warn that many Afghan families remain in danger in Afghanistan because of their past cooperation with U.S. forces and say sweeping restrictions could leave them stranded or vulnerable at a critical moment.
Source: BBC
Written By Rodney Mbua
