US halts visa issuance for Afghan passport holders, citing national security

The US State Department under President Trump has temporarily suspended visa issuance for all travellers holding Afghan passports.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move on X, stating that the administration’s “highest priority” is safeguarding the nation and its citizens.

The decision came a day after President Donald Trump vowed to “permanently pause” migration from what he called “Third World Countries.”

USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow said the agency had halted all asylum decisions “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” The State Department separately announced an immediate freeze on visas for holders of Afghan passports.

The moves follow Trump’s late-night social media tirade targeting migrants and Democratic officials, issued amid heightened political rhetoric after the shooting of two National Guard members near the White House.

The suspected gunman, an Afghan national vetted by counterterrorism authorities, reportedly passed stringent checks before entering the country, according to the US media.

Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died of her injuries, while Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.

The administration earlier signalled an indefinite halt to Afghan immigration processing and a review of Afghans admitted under President Biden. Trump on Thursday ordered USCIS to re-examine the status of green-card holders from 19 countries.

By Aghakazim Guliyev