On November 26, 2025, two members of the West Virginia National Guard — Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe — were ambushed near the White House in Washington, D.C. The suspected shooter opened fire with a .357‑caliber revolver outside a metro station, in what authorities described as a “lone‑gunman” attack. In the ensuing chaos, the suspect was wounded by responding guardsmen and police, taken into custody, and hospitalized. Beckstrom ultimately died of her injuries; Wolfe was left critically wounded. The attack has been classified by federal investigators as a possible act of terrorism.
Law enforcement and immigration officials quickly identified the suspect as 29‑year‑old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal. According to authorities, he entered the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome — the program established to resettle Afghan nationals, many of whom assisted U.S. forces in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. He had been living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children, and reportedly applied for asylum in late 2024; that application was approved in April 2025.
In the wake of the shooting, numerous senior government officials — including those aligned with the administration of Donald J. Trump — strongly criticized the resettlement process. They described Lakanwal as having been admitted under humanitarian parole and claimed he was “unvetted,” suggesting that the 2021 evacuation allowed for insufficient scrutiny. These statements triggered immediate policy responses: processing of Afghan visa and asylum applications was halted indefinitely, and an official review of vetting protocols was ordered.
Yet investigative reporting — citing sources with direct knowledge — paints a different picture. According to a detailed report by The Washington Post, Lakanwal underwent rigorous screening by U.S. counterterrorism and intelligence agencies before being admitted under Operation Allies Welcome. This included both biographic and biometric checks, conducted by agencies such as the CIA and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). Additionally, his asylum application earlier this year triggered a separate round of screening under standard immigration procedures — meaning he was subject to oversight on multiple occasions. Advocates for Afghan resettlement — including the coalition #AfghanEvac — argue that parolees admitted under OAW faced some of the most extensive security vetting of any group entering the country.
Thus, a contradiction emerges between official statements and documented vetting: although some government messages claim Lakanwal was “unvetted,” evidence strongly suggests he passed through standard screening. Some analysts interpret the failure here not as a breakdown in initial vetting, but perhaps in later stages — such as integration support, mental‑health monitoring, post‑arrival oversight, or social support. The incident underscores that even with vetting, there remain unpredictable risks — especially involving individuals with complicated pasts and potential mental‑health issues.
Finally, the shooting and its aftermath have ignited a bitter and polarized national debate over immigration, resettlement, security, and justice. On one side, the administration has used the event to justify sweeping immigration restrictions, halting Afghan visa applications, and calling for large‑scale reviews of resettlement programs. On the other, refugee‑advocacy groups warn against stigmatizing entire immigrant communities based on the actions of a single individual — arguing that most Afghan evacuees have integrated peacefully and contributed positively. As investigations continue, questions remain about motive, possible failures in follow‑up support or monitoring, and whether the tragedy will lead to structural changes in how the U.S. balances humanitarian obligations with national security.
