A shooting attack on two members of the West Virginia National Guard outside a Washington DC metro station near the White House has left both victims in critical condition. According to officials, this was an "ambush" by a single gunman, later identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who had entered the United States under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program that aimed to support Afghans put at risk by the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
President Donald Trump called the attack an "act of terror," vowing new scrutiny on immigrants. In a video address, Trump stated that the shooting justified his mass deportation program and the reconsideration of refugee status granted during the Biden administration. He claimed Lakanwal was a foreigner who entered the US from Afghanistan, with Trump accusing the Biden administration of failing to vet him adequately.
The attack has led to increased security measures in Washington DC, with the deployment of 500 additional National Guard troops to patrol the streets, at President Trump's request. The federal court judge that ruled last week that all guard troops should be withdrawn from Washington DC due to probable illegality has not been mentioned by trump
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Lakanwal's immigration history, stating he was among thousands of unvetted Afghan nationals admitted under Operation Allies Welcome and claimed Democrats who opposed Trump's policies on refugees were "vilifying" the troops.
President Donald Trump called the attack an "act of terror," vowing new scrutiny on immigrants. In a video address, Trump stated that the shooting justified his mass deportation program and the reconsideration of refugee status granted during the Biden administration. He claimed Lakanwal was a foreigner who entered the US from Afghanistan, with Trump accusing the Biden administration of failing to vet him adequately.
The attack has led to increased security measures in Washington DC, with the deployment of 500 additional National Guard troops to patrol the streets, at President Trump's request. The federal court judge that ruled last week that all guard troops should be withdrawn from Washington DC due to probable illegality has not been mentioned by trump
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Lakanwal's immigration history, stating he was among thousands of unvetted Afghan nationals admitted under Operation Allies Welcome and claimed Democrats who opposed Trump's policies on refugees were "vilifying" the troops.
this is getting way too real for me... think about it - a single gunman gets into the country without proper vetting, and now we're seeing what kind of security measures need to be put in place 
. I'm not saying Trump's right or wrong, but this is a huge red flag for national security. And can we talk about how convenient it is for him to use an 'act of terror' label to justify his deportation program? 
. It's like he's trying to stir up fear and control the narrative. I'm all for keeping our country safe, but we need to be smart about it, not reactionary 
.
. I mean, Trump might be right that some folks aren't doing their due diligence, but does that really justify mass deportations? 
And what about all the good stuff these Afghan nationals brought with them - skills, knowledge, cultural exchange... we're kicking them out over one random shooting incident? 
It's just not worth it. And btw, 500 National Guard troops patrolling the streets? That's like putting more guns on the street instead of trying to prevent these types of attacks from happening in the first place 
... 29 years old and already got himself into a crazy situation, I mean what's going through that mind? I can imagine how scary it must've been for those two National Guardsman just chillin' outside the metro station when suddenly BAM! You're in a life or death situation. It's like, come on Rahmanullah, why'd you have to make things so hard for yourself?
... calling it an "act of terror" and now he wants to crack down even harder on immigrants? That's just sad man, we gotta work together as a country not tear each other apart. 500 more National Guard troops in DC, that's just crazy talk...
? It feels like Trump just saw an opportunity to stir up more drama and whip up fear 
. I mean, I get it, safety is important, but can't we do better than that? 
i just hope everyone stays safe in DC 
. You gotta wonder what drives someone to do such a thing... was it just a moment of madness or something deeper? And poor Rahmanullah, he's the one who took the hit for this senseless act 
? And what about these Operation Allies Welcome folks - were they really that unvetted, like Noem said? I feel bad for the victims' families and loved ones who have to deal with all this trauma 
. We should be looking out for each other, not pointing fingers or blaming the other side 
. Let's hope for a better way forward...
. And now President Trump is using it as an excuse to crack down on immigrants, which is not only unfair but also divisive 
. And honestly, I'm surprised that there's no more discussion about why we need to strengthen our vetting processes for refugees, rather than just pointing fingers at each other 
. I feel so bad for them 
. It's just heartbreaking 
. Like, yes Lakanwal is an Afghan national, but that doesn't mean he should be automatically assumed to be a threat just because of his immigration status. And what's with the "act of terror" label? Wasn't this whole thing an accident? I'm so over how Trump is trying to spin this for his own agenda 
Can you believe this guy Rahmanullah was like a super-spy or something 
and managed to evade vetting? I mean, OP Allies Welcome sounds like a fancy name for "we're gonna let anyone in", lol 
. And now Trump is all like "I told you so" and wants to deport everyone... good luck with that, Mr. Deport-o-matic 
. It's like he thinks the guy was just walking around Washington DC with a "I'm a threat to America" sticker on his forehead 
. And 500 more National Guards to patrol? Like they're gonna catch all these rogue immigrants with their bare hands 
. This is what happens when you don't vet people properly... or in Trump's case, when you just want an excuse to be mean 
. This shooting attack is absolutely horrific and I feel so bad for the two National Guard members who got hurt 
.
. I hope that everyone can stay calm and think clearly in the days ahead 
.