Overview
- Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains critically injured after an ambush near the White House, with suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal in custody and expected to survive to face trial, according to law enforcement.
- Prosecutors upgraded charges to first-degree murder and the Justice Department says it will seek the death penalty, alongside counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
- USCIS paused all asylum decisions nationwide, the State Department suspended visa issuance for individuals traveling on Afghan passports, and officials ordered a reexamination of green cards for immigrants from 19 listed countries of concern.
- Lakanwal entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome and his asylum was approved this year under the Trump administration, advocacy group AfghanEvac said, as an FBI terrorism inquiry proceeds without a stated motive.
- Senior Trump officials cite vetting failures, while resettlement advocates and an inspector general report describe extensive screening and no systemic breakdowns, and additional National Guard forces in Washington have been increased to about 2,500 with legal challenges to the new immigration measures expected.