Afghans living in the U.S. have condemned Wednesday's deeply tragic shooting in Washington D.C., asserting that the suspect—who immigrated four years ago—does not represent them. The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is reported to have entered the U.S. under a special immigration program designed for Afghans who worked with U.S. forces following the troop withdrawal in 2021.
The shooting led to the death of National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom and left another, Andrew Wolfe, in critical condition. In response to the incident, President Trump has paused immigration requests from Afghans and called for a review of green cards from 19 countries, which has sparked concern in the Afghan community.
The Afghan Community Coalition of the United States has expressed sympathy to the families of the victims while urging the government to continue processing immigration claims. Their statement reminded that the years of Afghan-U.S. partnership should not be disregarded.
Afghans in the U.S. portrayed the shooting as an act of a single individual, not the community at large. Individuals speaking anonymously for fear of Taliban reprisal highlighted that Afghans are hardworking members of society. They urged caution against collective punishment and stressed gratitude for America’s evacuation efforts during the crisis in Kabul.
Crystal Bayat, an Afghan human rights activist, raised concerns about potential policy changes affecting Afghan migrants and the dangers faced by families in Afghanistan who supported U.S. efforts before the withdrawal. The community’s hopes are pinned on changing perceptions and policies in the wake of the tragic event.
