Afghanistan, Nov. 29 -- The United States has suspended all visa issuance for Afghanistan citizens, citing urgent national security concerns following a recent shooting incident near the White House.
The department said in a statement that protecting U.S. national security remains its top priority. It added that the halt applies to all categories of visas until further notice.
Joseph B. Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), said in a post on X that the agency has also paused all asylum-related decisions to allow for enhanced vetting procedures for foreign nationals.
The policy shift follows the Nov. 26 shooting in Washington, D.C., in which an Afghanistan national allegedly opened fire on two members of th...