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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Ariana Baio,Mike Bedigan,Joe Sommerlad and Alex Woodward

National Guard shooting victim Sarah Backstrom’s father pays heartbreaking tribute: Latest updates

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has announced that National Guard shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal will face a first-degree murder charge after Sarah Beckstrom, one of the soldiers wounded in an “ambush” outside a Metro station in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, died of her injuries.

President Donald Trump announced Beckstrom’s death at a Thanksgiving press conference Thursday evening, calling her a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” and “outstanding in every way.”

Her family joined her at her hospital bedside. “My baby girl has passed to glory. If I don’t talk to you don’t be offend this has been a horrible tragedy,” her father, Gary Beckstrom, later posted on social media.

Andrew Wolfe, the other guardsman shot in the incident, is still “fighting for his life” and “in very bad shape,” Trump said Thursday night. He remains in critical condition.

Lakanwal, the suspected shooter, is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021. He was living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children and working as a delivery driver, according to officials.

The president has escalated his anti-immigration agenda in the wake of the shooting, vowing to “permanently” freeze immigration from “third world” countries as authorities “reexamine” certain green card holders.

Key Points

  • Father of Sarah Beckstrom posts heartbreaking tribute after dying from injuries in shooting attack
  • U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announces upgraded charges against National Guard shooting suspect
  • Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal struggled with ‘pressure’ of violence he saw in Afghanistan
  • Trump declares pause on migration from ‘Third World Countries’ in Thanksgiving message
  • President boasts about his electoral record in West Virginia when asked about attending Beckstrom’s funeral

Can green card holders in the U.S. be deported? Trump admin to 'rexamine' legal status for immigrants from 19 countries

02:00 , Alex Woodward

The Trump administration will review green card holders from what the administration calls countries “of concern.”

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow has “directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”

That list includes the 19 countries "considered deficient with regards to screening and vetting,” according one of Trump’s executive orders.

Afghanistan is one of the countries on the list, along with Haiti, Iran and Venezuela.

Green card holders ostensibly have the most protections among lawful permanent residents. short of a U.S. citizen.

But immigration law in the United States does not necessarily protect against deporting green card holders, and the government does not need evidence of criminality to remove them on allegations of fraud or for providing material support for terrorist groups, among other accusations.

Removal proceedings for green card holders are carried out in immigration courts, not criminal ones. A judge, not the administration, will ultimately decide whether a person can be removed.

DHS revives call for 'remigration' after Trump's anti-immigration attacks

01:20 , Alex Woodward

Marco Rubio’s dramatic reshuffling of the sprawling State Department also establishes an Office of Remigration, echoing a term used among far-right and white nationalist groups who support the mass removal of immigrants.

Trump explicitly called for “reverse migration” in his anti-immigrant screed in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard members.

“The stakes have never been higher, and the goal has never been more clear: Remigration now,” Homeland Security wrote on X hours later.

That post was shared by the State Department’s account.

The word, associated with far-right European anti-immigrant campaigns, suggests a plan for the mass removal of foreign-born residents and has been roundly condemned by advocates and scholars studying far-right movements.

Full story: Trump administration halts all asylum decisions in wake of DC National Guard shooting

01:00 , Alex Woodward

The Trump administration has halted all decisions regarding immigrants seeking asylum after two National Guard members were shot, one fatally, in Washington, D.C.

Trump administration halts all asylum decisions in wake of DC National Guard shooting

Suspect likely received extensive vetting before he was granted asylum under Trump. Administration now isn't so sure

00:45 , Alex Woodward

The man suspected of shooting two National Guard members, one fatally, likely underwent extensive vetting as a CIA asset and as he sought — and received — asylum in the United States.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Rahmanullah Lakanwal worked with the CIA in Afghanistan, which almost certainly would have required extensive vetting.

He was also likely vetted when he received asylum under Trump earlier this year.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI director Kash Patel have both suggested in recent congressional testimony that the administration had carefully scrutinized thousands of Afghan refugees.

"During my tenure, we are going through the databases to make sure that no known or suspected terrorists enter this country to harm our nation," Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee in September.

Trump administration officials now appear to be walking that back.

U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro disputed the idea that he had received any vetting at all, while Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said he was only “vetted” by the intelligence community “to serve as a soldier” but not for “his suitability to come to America and live among us as a neighbor, integrate into our communities, or eventually become an American citizen.”

Just in: Trump administration suspending all asylum decisions

00:17 , Alex Woodward

Donald Trump’s administration is suspending all asylum decisions in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard members allegedly by an Afghan national who was granted asylum earlier this year.

“USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible,” agency director Joe Edlow said Friday.

“The safety of the American people always comes first.”

A notice to asylum officers explicitly tells them not to enter “any decision information for affirmative cases.”

Applications in “defensive” cases are filed by immigrants facing deportation and are decided by immigration judges under the direction of the Department of Justice.

Inside Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s journey from CIA-backed ‘Zero Unit’ unit in Afghanistan to suspect in DC shooting

00:15 , Alex Woodward

There remain growing questions about how an Afghan national who once worked with the CIA ended up as the suspect in the deadly attack.

Here’s everything we know:

Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s journey from CIA-backed ‘Zero Unit’ to DC shooting suspect

How many National Guard members are in DC?

23:45 , Alex Woodward

There are 2,232 National Guard members seven states in Washington, D.C., according to law enforcement.

More than half are from out of state, including 180 members from West Virginia and 315 from Georgia.

Mississippi has deployed 277 members, Alabama sent in 197, and Ohio sent 152. There are also three members from South Carolina.

Afghan resettlement groups blast Trump’s latest threats to refugees

23:15 , Alex Woodward

Refugee advocates and resettlement groups are speaking out against the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant response in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. this week.

Suspected gunman Rahmanullah Lakanwal had worked in a special CIA-backed Afghan Army unit before emigrating from Afghanistan. He applied for asylum during the Biden administration and his asylum was approved this year under the Trump administration after an extensive vetting process.

Groups have warned against a reactionary response that demonizes Afghan allies and their families who have resettled in the United States.

There has been an “alarming vilification of an entire community based on the actions of a lone individual,” according to Evac Our Allies.

“No community, Afghan or otherwise, should be judged, demonized, or collectively punished for the behavior of one person. Such narratives cause real harm, inflame tensions, and overlook the truth: one individual does not represent millions. Collective blame is not only unjust but dangerous. It undermines the immense sacrifices our nation's Afghan allies made, sacrifices that cost many their safety, their homes, their loved ones, and, in too many cases, their lives,” the group said.

AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver said in a statement that “Afghan immigrants and wartime allies who resettle in the United States undergo some of the most extensive security vetting of any population entering the country.

“As with any serious crime, authorities will examine how this happened and whether any systems failed — and we support a fact-based review. But nothing we learn will change the simple truth that this individual alone is responsible for his actions. This individual's isolated and violent act should not be used as an excuse to define or diminish an entire community,” he added.

“Those who would twist this moment to attack Afghan families aren't seeking safety or justice — they're exploiting division and endangering all of us,” VanDiver said.

Trump administration's latest immigration threats follow series of actions targeting Afghans

22:30 , Alex Woodward

The Trump administration has already imposed sweeping refugee restrictions since taking office.

The administration blocked thousands of Afghan refugees from entering the country despite extensive vetting, and new restrictions on travel, legal protections and refugee admissions effectively block any new Afghans from entering while priming resettled Afghans for removal.

Shortly after entering office, the administration abruptly canceled previously arranged refugee flights, stranding Afghans and others.

Then in May, the administration also moved to cancel Temporary Protected Status for more than 11,000 Afghans who fled the country following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.

He now plans to “permanently pause” all immigration from what he called “third world countries” and “reverse migration” of those his administration deems “non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

That includes re-examining the status of green card holders from 19 countries “of concern,” including Afghanistan.

Prosecutors will seek death penalty against suspected gunman

22:00 , Alex Woodward

Attorney General Pam Bondi says the Department of Justice will seek the death penalty against Rahmanullah Lakanwal after his arrest in the shooting of two National Guard service members.

Charges have not yet entered a federal court system, though U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro said the suspect will be charged with first-degree murder, among other assault and weapons charges.

Bondi said Thursday that prosecutors “will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country.”

(Getty Images)

ICYMI: Trump vows to ‘permanently pause’ migration from ‘all third world countries’ after DC shooting

21:37 , Alex Croft

President Donald Trump has vowed to “permanently pause” migration from “all third world countries” after a National Guard member was killed in an attack near the White House.

The president’s comments are a further escalation of his anti-immigration measures since entering office.

Trump to ‘permanently pause migration from third world countries’ after DC shooting

Sarah Beckstrom bonded with troops and soaked up DC after reluctant deployment, ex-boyfriend says

21:07 , Alex Woodward

West Virginia National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom enlisted in June 2023, shortly after graduating high school. She was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company and deployed to Washington, D.C., in August, when Trump ordered troops to the capital.

She was fatally shot during an attack Wednesday and died surrounded by family on Thanksgiving.

Her ex-boyfriend Adam Carr, who had started daying Beckstrom in high school, said he initially didn’t want to leave home because she was worried about feeling lonely away from family while she was deployed.

“She hated it. She cried about it,” Carr told NBC News.

But she came to enjoy her service in the capital, where her colleagues called her “Becky” and she visited the city’s monuments and museums and culture, he said.

She had the option to return to home sooner but elected to remain there longer.

“Sarah served with courage, extraordinary resolve, and an unwavering sense of duty to her state and to her nation. She answered the call to serve, stepped forward willingly, and carried out her mission with the strength and character that define the very best of the West Virginia National Guard,” West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a statement.

Col. Larry Doane, the commander of the joint task force in the D.C. National Guard, called her a “hero” and mourned the “devastating loss” for the Guard.

Carr’s mother told the network she had a “heart of hold.”

(via REUTERS)

Father of Sarah Beckstrom posts heartbreaking tribute after dying from injuries in shooting attack

20:18 , Alex Woodward

U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom volunteered with the West Virginia National Guard after graduating from high school two years ago.

She died on Thanksgiving at age 20, succumbing from injuries in shooting attack near the White House one day earlier.

Her family joined her at her hospital bedside to say farewell.

“I’m holding her hand right now,” her father, Gary Beckstrom, told The New York Times on Thursday. “She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery.” That was all he would say.

He later posted on social media, “My baby girl has passed to glory. If I don’t talk to you don’t be offend this has been a horrible tragedy.”

(US Attorney's Office)

DHS blames Biden for difficulty ‘vetting’ Afghans after suspected gunman approved for asylum in US

19:18 , Alex Woodward

Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the Trump administration’s actions to severely restrict immigration into the United States from Afghanistan and other countries, including reviewing green card holders who could now be at risk of removal.

She also blamed the Biden administration for “extremely difficult and complex” vetting of Afghan nationals following U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Afghanistan “is now run by the Taliban while al-Qa'ida, ISIS-K, TTP, and other terrorist groups run rampant in Afghanistan — making the vetting of Afghan nationals extremely difficult and complex,” McLaughlin wrote. “Many hate our country and seek to bring it harm.”

But the agency painted a different picture of life in Afghanistan earlier this year when the administration stripped legal protections for thousands of people who lived and worked legally in the United States.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said their country has an “improved security situation, and its stabilizing economy no longer prevent [sic] them from returning to their home country.”

The agency also said “notable improvements” in Afghanistan’s national security, now under the control of the Taliban, and no longer “pose a threat to their personal safety due to armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.”

The notice in the federal register also claims that “the Taliban government is promoting tourism to shift its global image.”

“Tourism to Afghanistan has increased, as the rates of kidnappings have reduced,” the notice added. “Tourists are sharing their experiences on social media, highlighting the peaceful countryside, welcoming locals, and the cultural heritage, according to some reports.”

Troops to join local cops on DC patrol in major shakeup

18:42 , Alex Woodward

In the wake of a shooting that targeted National Guard troops, local law enforcement will be paired up with Guard service members on their patrols in Washington, D.C., according to an email obtained by The Washington Post.

“Officers will conduct high-visibility patrols with the National Guard and provide assistance as needed,” the message sent to D.C. leadership said.

The dynamic, if enacted for a longer-term basis, could mark a dramatic shift in how the U.S. military operates inside the country, as Donald Trump seeks to expand federalized troops in cities across the country despite boundaries that prevent military personnel from performing local law enforcement.

Last week, a federal judge barred Trump from deploying National Guard troops in the nation’s capital, which the administration has appealed to the D.C. appellate court.

(REUTERS)

Suspect served in CIA-backed strike unit in Afghanistan to suspect

17:45 , Alex Woodward

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was originally from a village in the province of Khost in Afghanistan.

He reportedly served in the Afghan Army for 10 years alongside U.S. Special Forces as part of the global War on Terror.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s journey from CIA-backed strike unit to DC shooting suspect

Dramatic moment National Guard trade gunfire with DC shooting suspect caught on video

17:25 , Katie Hawkinson

The dramatic moment National Guard members traded fire with a gunman in Washington, D.C., on Thanksgiving Eve has been caught on video.

Photos and video, obtained by The Wall Street Journal, show National Guard members reacting to the attack and running down the street. The footage appears to have been taken by a witness who was inside a car driving past the street corner.

Dramatic moment National Guard trade gunfire with DC shooting suspect caught on video

Nancy Mace calls for DC shooting suspect to be executed: ‘He doesn’t deserve to live’

17:00 , Eric Garcia

Rep. Nancy Mace and a chorus of other Republicans called for the man accused of shooting two members of the West Virginia National Guard, killing one of them, to be executed.

Nancy Mace calls for execution of DC shooting suspect: ‘‘He doesn’t deserve to live’’

What we know about Andrew Wolfe, National Guard member in critical condition

16:51 , Alex Woodward

West Virginia National Guard service member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, had enlisted with her state’s guard in 2023, the same year she graduated from high school.

She died from her injuries after she was shot Wednesday while deployed in Washington, D.C.

Another guard member, 24-year-old U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition.

He works as a lineman with Frontier Communications, according to the Communications Workers of America, a union that represents telecom workers.

Wolfe is from Martinsburg, West Virginia, and is the son of a deputy sheriff in Berkeley County.

Like Beckstrom, he enlisted in the National Guard after graduating high school.

"We still have hope. He’s still in critical condition,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Friday. “We are doing everything we can to assist his family and to make sure that they have everything they need during this difficult time for them.”

(AP)

Pirro claims US didn't vet Afghan refugees despite Trump admin granting suspect asylum

16:20 , Alex Woodward

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro baselessly alleged that Afghans who entered the United States in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal in 2021 — including the man suspected of shooting two National Guard troops — were not “vetted” before entering the country.

“Look, there was no vetting. If you think there was vetting, I have a bridge to sell you,” she told Fox News Friday.

“If you saw the chaos that was going on at that airport in Kabul in Afghanistan, it was typical of what was going on in the Biden administration,” she said. “Let’s stop namby-pambing around with this ‘oh, he was vetted.’ There was no ‘vetted.’ The welcome mat was thrown down.”

Pirro said “we don’t know who they are” until we “suffer the consequences.”

Roughly 76,000 Afghan refugees were allowed entry into the United States in 2021, according to a report at the time by the Department of Homeland Security.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal is expected to be among the 3,300 of those refugees that year who were granted a "special immigrant visa," which allowed for expedited entry because of his employment with the CIA and other U.S. forces.

He was reportedly granted asylum in the country in April 2025 — under Trump.

Trump administration has not ruled out deporting suspect's family

16:00 , Alex Woodward

Asked whether his administration is considering deporting the family of the man accused of gunning down two National Guard service members, Donald Trump said he is “looking at that right now.”

“Well, we’re looking at that right now,” he said Thursday. “We’re looking at the whole situation with family.”

Lakanwal, 29, is believed to have arrived in the United States in 2021 during Joe Biden’s administration and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration.

He had previously worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, according to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Lakanwa was believed to have been living in Bellingham, Washington with his wife and five children and working as a delivery driver, according to officials.

Law enforcement officials have not publicly identified a motive for the shooting or what compelled him to drive across the country to allegedly attack National Guard members.

(AP)

White House social media account labels Trump's latest anti-immigrant rant 'one of the most important messages ever'

15:33 , Alex Woodward

Trump’s vitriolic late-night Thanksgiving message on Truth Social unloaded on Governor Tim Walz (whom the president called a highly offensive slur for people with intellectual disabilities), claimed Somalians are roaming streets looking for “prey” and vowed to impose sweeping restrictions on immigration.

A social media account serving as the White House rapid response communications channel called the rant “one of the most important messages ever” from the president.

West Virginia flies flags at half-staff following death of National Guard service member

15:16 , Alex Woodward

Flags in West Virginia are flying at at half-staff and the state is holding a moment of silence or prayer at 2:15 p.m. ET in honor of West Virginia Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe.

“These two West Virginia heroes were serving our country and protecting our nation’s capital when they were maliciously attacked,” Governor Patrick Morrisey said Friday.

National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom volunteered to work in DC over Thanksgiving

15:03 , Alex Woodward

Sarah Beckstrom, the 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard member killed in Wednesday’s attack, had volunteered to work in DC over Thanksgiving, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“She volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families, yet now their families are in hospital rooms with them while they are fighting for their lives,” Bondi told Fox News Thursday.

Beckstrom, of Summersville, West Virginia, first began her service on June 26, 2023, and was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade, West Virginia Army National Guard.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announces upgraded charges against National Guard shooting suspect

14:40 , Joe Sommerlad

As anticipated, Pirro has announced on Fox News this morning that Rahmanullah Lakanwal will face a first-degree murder charge, upgraded from three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, following the tragic death of Sarah Beckstrom.

Here’s the latest from Alex Woodward.

National Guard shooting suspect to face first-degree murder charge

Recap: Donald Trump announces National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom has died of injuries

14:25 , Joe Sommerlad

If you’re just joining us, President Donald Trump announced last night that National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, who was shot outside of a Washington, D.C., Metro station in in a “savage” gun attack Wednesday, has died of her injuries.

“Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen that we’re talking about, highly respected, young, magnificent person, started service in June of 2023 outstanding in every way. She’s just passed away,” Trump said in a Thanksgiving call to service members from his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, last night.

“She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. She was savagely attacked, she’s dead now.”

Andrew Wolfe, the other soldier shot in the incident, is still “fighting for his life,” the president said, adding: “He’s in very bad shape... hopefully we’ll get better news with respect to him.”

Watch: Trump rebukes another female reporter at press conference for asking about vetting of shooter

13:55 , Joe Sommerlad

‘Pray for my son’: Father’s plea for DC shooting victim fighting for life after fellow soldier’s death

13:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Jason Wolfe, Andrew Wolfe’s father, asked people to “pray for my son” when he briefly spoke to the media.

Owen Scott has more on the victims.

Father’s plea for DC shooting victim fighting for life after fellow guardsman’s death

Marco Rubio: ‘My heart is heavy’

12:50 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s the secretary of state’s reaction to the sad news about Sarah Beckstrom, the 20-year-old National Guard soldier who has died of her injuries.

Pam Bondi pledges to pursue death penalty

12:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Yesterday, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, announced that Rahmanullah Lakanwal will be charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.

Sarah Beckstrom’s death now means a first-degree murder charge is likely to be added.

This is what the AG has had to say about the Justice Department’s intentions going forward.

Inside Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s journey from CIA-backed strike unit in Afghanistan to suspect in DC shooting

12:28 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s our latest look at the suspect in the case, who was part of a CIA-backed unit in Afghanistan before coming to America.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s journey from CIA-backed strike unit to DC shooting suspect

What is Operation Allies Welcome?

12:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Harry Cockburn has this look at the Joe Biden-era resettlement program welcoming Afghan nationals to the United States as a reward for helping the American military battle the Taliban during the War on Terror.

What is Operation Allies Welcome? The refugee scheme that allowed DC suspect into US

In pictures: Lakanwal’s apartment in Washington state

11:50 , Joe Sommerlad

Authorities say the suspect had been living in a sparsely-furnished apartment in Bellingham in Washington state, more than 2,600 miles from D.C., leaving his wife and five children behind as he travelled long distance in a Hyundai sedan to perpetrate Wednesday’s atrocity.

(Reuters)

Suspect in National Guard shooting struggled with ‘pressure’ of violence he saw in Afghanistan

11:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Rahmanullah Lakanwal “struggled for years” with the violence he saw in his homeland as a part of a feared CIA-backed series of paramilitary groups known as Zero Units, with whom he served from as young as 16, initially as a security guard and later as a team leader and GPS specialist, The New York Post has reported.

“When he saw blood, bodies, and the wounded, he could not tolerate it,” a childhood friend told The New York Times.

“It put a lot of pressure on his mind. “He would tell me and our friends that their military operations were very tough, their job was very difficult, and they were under a lot of pressure.”

Lakanwal reportedly attempted to manage his trauma with marijuana but also played the violent military-themed video game Call of Duty.

(Reuters)

Trump to ‘permanently pause’ migration from ‘all third world countries’ after DC shooting

11:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s Alex Croft with a full report on the president’s latest announcement in response to Wednesday’s events in Washington.

Trump to ‘permanently pause migration from third world countries’ after DC shooting

In pictures: The National Guardsmen shot in Wednesday’s ‘savage’ attack

10:50 , Joe Sommerlad

We know now that Sarah Beckstrom, 20, has tragically died of her injuries sustained in Wednesday’s attack and that Andrew Wolfe, 24, is fighting for his life in hospital.

(Reuters)
(Reuters)
(Webster County High School/Facebook)
(Reuters)

Trump boasts about his electoral record in West Virginia when asked about attending Beckstrom’s funeral

09:50 , Joe Sommerlad

Let’s get back to yesterday’s press event at Mar-a-Lago, where the president did not give a definite answer on whether he would pay his respects to the fall soldier in person but did take the opportunity to brag about his past performance in the polls in her home state.

Trump rebukes reporter over asylum question: ‘Are you stupid?’

09:15 , Joe Sommerlad

The president got angry with a female journalist again yesterday, when she asked him why he kept blaming Joe Biden’s administration for allowing suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal into the U.S. when it was his own team that approved his asylum application in April this year.

Here’s FBI Director Kash Patel and D.C. Attorney Jeannine Pirro attempting to punt questions and muddy the waters about the same issue earlier in the day.

Recap: Donald Trump announces National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom has died of injuries

09:10 , Joe Sommerlad

President Donald Trump has announced that National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, who was shot outside of a Washington, D.C., Metro station in in a “savage” gun attack Wednesday, has died of her injuries.

“Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen that we’re talking about, highly respected, young, magnificent person, started service in June of 2023 outstanding in every way. She’s just passed away,” Trump said in a Thanksgiving call to service members from his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, last night.

“She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. She was savagely attacked, she’s dead now.”

Andrew Wolfe, the other soldier shot in the incident, is still “fighting for his life,” the president said, adding: “He’s in very bad shape... hopefully we’ll get better news with respect to him.”

Trump brags about his golf game after announcing soldier’s death

09:08 , Joe Sommerlad

In another moment in which the president veered from the serious topic at hand, Trump boasted about his performance on the links.

Trump announces pause on migration from ‘Third World Countries’ in Thanksgiving message

09:00 , Joe Sommerlad

After yesterday’s press event, the president posted a message on Truth Social and X in which he complained that the “refugee burden is the leading cause of social dysfunction in America” and announced a stop to migration from “all Third World Countries.”

It began: “A very Happy Thanksgiving salutation to all of our Great American Citizens and Patriots who have been so nice in allowing our Country to be divided, disrupted, carved up, murdered, beaten, mugged, and laughed at, along with certain other foolish countries throughout the World, for being “Politically Correct,” and just plain STUPID, when it comes to Immigration.”

He continued: “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country, end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country, denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility, and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

Refugee groups worry about backlash after shooting of National Guard soldiers in DC

08:50 , Arpan Rai

People who work with refugees are worried that those who fled dangerous situations to start again in America will face backlash after authorities say an Afghan national shot two National Guard soldiers this week.

Many Afghans living in the U.S. are afraid to leave their houses, fearing they’ll be swept up by immigration officials or attacked with hate speech, said Shawn VanDiver, president of the San Diego-based group #AfghanEvac, a group that helps resettle Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the two-decade war.

“They’re terrified. It’s insane," VanDiver told the Associated Press Thursday. “People are acting xenophobic because of one deranged man. He doesn’t represent all Afghans. He represents himself.”

Refugee groups worry about backlash after shooting of National Guard soldiers in DC

Trump suspends all Afghan immigration requests after National Guard shooting in DC

08:30 , Arpan Rai

The U.S. has suspended all immigration requests from Afghans after two National Guardsmen were shot in Washington, D.C., in an attack described by Donald Trump as an “act of terror”.

An Afghan man was identified as the suspect in the shooting near the White House on Wednesday. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said immigration requests have been stopped “indefinitely” with the decision made pending a review of “security and vetting protocols”.

The move follows Trump’s call for his government to re-examine Afghan immigrants who entered the United States when Joe Biden was president.

Trump suspends all Afghan immigration requests after National Guard shooting in DC

Trump rips suspected DC shooter who left two National Guard members hurt in ‘monstrous ambush-style attack’

08:00 , Arpan Rai

Donald Trump ripped into the suspect who shot two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., in what the president described as a “monstrous ambush-style attack.”

Trump, who has been in Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday, said in an address on Wednesday night, “I am determined to ensure that the animal who perpetrated this atrocity pays the steepest possible price.”

Rahmanullah Lakanwal: Who is the suspect in Washington DC National Guard shooting?

In photos: Who is Sarah Beckstorm, the national guard killed in the D.C. shooting?

07:40 , Arpan Rai
A picture of National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom is displayed at a press conference (U.S. Attorney's Office)
Sarah Beckstrom during her graduation ceremony (Webster County high School/ Sarah Beckstrom/ Facebook)
Brigadier General Leland D. Blanchard II looks towards pictures of two National Guard members who were shot in Washington (Reuters)

Trump threatens ban on migrants from 'third world countries' but details remain unclear

07:04 , Arpan Rai

Donald Trump has announced that his administration will "permanently pause" migration from all "Third World Countries".

Trump did not identify any countries by name or explain what he meant by third-world countries or "permanently pause".

He said the plan would include cases approved under former President Joe Biden's administration.

“I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States," he said on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump said he would end all federal benefits and subsidies for "non-citizens", adding he would "denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility" and deport any foreign national deemed a public charge, security risk, or "non-compatible with Western civilization”.

Trump's comments followed the death of a National Guard member who had been shot near the White House in an ambush investigators say was carried out by an Afghan national.

Trump dodges question on if his administration granted suspected shooter asylum

06:56 , Arpan Rai

A look at D.C. shooter's CIA background in Afghanistan's Kandahar

06:20 , Arpan Rai

The accused shooter, identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, worked with the CIA "as a member of a partner force in Kandahar," the top US intelligence agency’s director John Ratcliffe said.

It didn't specify what Lakanwal did for America's spy agency.

The Kandahar region in southern Afghanistan was in the Taliban heartland of the country and saw fierce fighting between the Taliban and Nato forces after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 following the al-Qaida attacks on September 11.

The CIA relied on Afghan staff for translation, administrative and front-line fighting with their own paramilitary officers in the war.

Little is known about Lakanwal's four years in the U.S. or why he drove across the country from his home in Bellingham, Washington, where a former landlord said he lived with his wife and five children.

Trump says he may attend funeral of Sarah Beckstrom

05:50 , Arpan Rai

Donald Trump has spoken directly with the family of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom, who was killed in yesterday’s shooting in Washington, D.C., a spokesperson has confirmed.

"The President spoke with Sarah Beckstrom’s parents this evening,” an official told The Independent.

During remarks the president added he would consider attending her funeral.“Well, the family is devastated, as you can imagine,” he said.

Trump says will re-examine green card holders from 19 countries

05:32 , Arpan Rai

U.S. president Donald Trump has ordered a widespread review of asylum cases approved under former President Joe Biden's administration and Green Cards issued to citizens of 19 countries, Department of Homeland Security officials said.

Officials say the Afghan immigrant suspected of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday entered the U.S. in 2021 under a resettlement program.

Joseph Edlow, the head of the US citizenship immigration services, said the president had directed him to conduct "a full scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern."

A Trump administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Lakanwal applied for asylum in December 2024 and was approved on April 23 this year, three months after Trump took office.

Lakanwal, who resided in Washington state, had no known criminal history, the official said.

Trump slams reporter who asked why he was blaming Biden: 'Are you stupid?'

05:08 , Arpan Rai

Donald Trump lashed out at a reporter who questioned him why he was blaming former president Joe Biden’s administration for the shooting in the Washington D.C.

In an exchange with a reporter, Trump said the shooter “went cuckoo, he went nuts”. The reporter flagged the shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, had past ties to the CIA.Trump argued back that “there was no vetting or anything. They came in unvetted.”

When the reporter said the Afghan refugees accepted into the US had been vetted, he said: “Are you a stupid person?”

“Because they came in on a plane along with thousands of other people that shouldn’t be here, and you’re just asking questions because you’re a stupid person,” he ranted.

BREAKING: Trump says US will permanently pause migration from 'Third World Countries'

04:52 , Arpan Rai

Donald Trump has announced that his administration will work to permanently pause migration from all "Third World Countries", claiming this is needed to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.

His remarks come after a National Guard member died yesterday after being shot near the White House in an ambush that investigators say was carried out by an Afghan national.

Trump slams Biden again for allowing Afghans to enter U.S.

04:44 , Arpan Rai

After giving an update on the two National Guardsmen late Thursday, Donald Trump continued to blast his predecessor Joe Biden for allowing immigrants, including Afghan soldiers, to enter the U.S. after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

“It was total bedlam,” he said. “Do you remember that period of time, total Bedlam, people crammed onto the plane, and the toughest, meanest, most capable physically got on the plane, not the people that we were looking for or that they wanted to bring in.

“This is what we had under the Biden administration,” he said.

Recap: Rahmanullah Lakanwal: Everything we know about suspected DC shooter

04:15 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump has hit out at the suspect arrested after two National Guard soldiers were shot in Washington, D.C., in what the president described as a “monstrous, ambush-style attack.”

The guardsmen from West Virginia were shot by a lone gunman just north of the White House shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Here’s everything you need to know about the suspected shooter:

Rahmanullah Lakanwal: Who is the suspect in Washington DC National Guard shooting?

Trump appears to suggest DC shooting happened because they were doing their job too effectively

03:45 , Mike Bedigan

Administration looking at deporting family of suspected shooter

03:05 , Mike Bedigan

Trump said today that the administration is looking into whether to deport the family of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in the D.C. shooting.

When asked about such plans, the president replied: “Well we’re looking at that right now. We’re looking at the whole situation with family.”

Lakanwal reportedly lived in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and children.

Jeanine Pirro vows to 'avenge death' of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom

02:45 , Mike Bedigan

United States attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro has vowed to “avenge” the death of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom of the National Guard — a hero who volunteered to serve DC on Thanksgiving for people she never met and gave the ultimate sacrifice,” she wrote on X

“May she rest in peace. It is now time to avenge her death and secure justice.

Marjorie Taylor Greene sends prayers to family of Sarah Beckstrom

02:15 , Mike Bedigan

Former Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene added her condolences to the family of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom, following news of her death.

“U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom serving in the National Guard has passed after being brutally attacked by an Afghan National in Washington DC yesterday,” Greene wrote on X

“She was 20 years old.

“I’m so sorry for her family and praying for them.”

Trump says he may attend funeral of Sarah Beckstrom

02:00 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump has spoken directly with the family of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom, who was killed in yesterday’s shooting in Washington, D.C., a spokesperson has confirmed.

"The President spoke with Sarah Beckstrom’s parents this evening,” an official told The Independent.

During remarks the president added he would consider attended her funeral.

“Well, the family is devastated, as you can imagine,” he said.

Pam Bondi declares 'the death penalty is back' after Sarah Beckstrom's death

01:45 , Mike Bedigan

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi declared that “the death penalty is back,” following the death of Sarah Beckstrom.

“Devastated. Please pray for Sarah’s family. America will never forget her courage. There WILL BE JUSTICE for Sarah. Continue to pray for Andrew,” Bondi wrote on X.

“Thank you to President Trump — the death penalty is back.”

Bondi previously said that she would be seeking the death penalty against the suspected shooting if one of the National Guardsmen died.

Patel and Hegseth pay tribute to Sarah Beckstrom

01:32 , Mike Bedigan

'Are you a stupid person?': Trump lashes out at reporter over vetting question

01:15 , Mike Bedigan

Trump dodges question on if his administration granted suspected shooter asylum

01:00 , Mike Bedigan

West Virginia governor pays tribute to National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom

00:45 , Mike Bedigan

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey confirmed the death of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom in a social media post paying tribute to her Thursday.

“A few moments ago, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom passed away from the injuries sustained during yesterday’s horrific shooting. This is not the result we hoped for, but it is the result we all feared,” he wrote.

“Sarah served with courage, extraordinary resolve, and an unwavering sense of duty to her state and to her nation. She answered the call to serve, stepped forward willingly, and carried out her mission with the strength and character that define the very best of the West Virginia National Guard.

“Today, we honor her bravery and her sacrifice as we mourn the loss of a young woman who gave everything she had in defense of others.

“We will forever hold her family, her friends, and her fellow Guardsmen in our prayers as they grieve what no family should ever have to bear.”

Sarah Beckstrom's high school pays tribute to her

00:30 , Mike Bedigan

Sarah Beckstrom’s school, Webster County High, has released a statement following the announcement of her death by president Donald Trump

“Webster County high School was shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic events in Washington, D.C., and extends its deepest concern and support to one of our own graduates, U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, a Highlander and National Guard member from our community who was injured in the tragic shooting,” the statement read.

“We are always proud of our graduates who choose to serve their state and nation.”

(Webster County high School/ Sarah Beckstrom/ Facebook)

Sarah Beckstrom 'always demonstrated the strength, character, and commitment'

00:15 , Mike Bedigan

In a tribute post Webster County High School said Beckstrom “always demonstrated the strength, character, and commitment that make our school and community proud.”

“Her decision to serve her country reflects the very best of what we hope to instill in our Highlander students,” a statement shared online said.

“Our thoughts and heartfelt prayers are with Sarah, her family, her fellow Guard members—including Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe—and all those affected by this tragic event.”

Trump says other national guardsman is still 'fighting for his life'

Thursday 27 November 2025 23:50 , Mike Bedigan

After announcing the death of Beckstrom, Trump said that the other soldier Andrew Wolfe was still “fighting for his life.”

“He's in very bad shape, he's fighting for his life and hopefully we'll get better news with respect to him,” the president said in remarks to service members on Thanksgiving.

He added that “the monster that did this is also in serious condition.”

“But we won't even talk about him,” Trump said.

BREAKING: Trump says national guard Sarah Beckstrom has died

Thursday 27 November 2025 23:44 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump has announced that Sarah Beckstrom, one of the National Guards shot in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, has died.

“Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, one of the guardsmen that we’re talking about, highly respected, young, magnificent person, started service in June of 2023 outstanding in every way. She’s just passed away,” Trump said in a Thanksgiving call to service members.

“She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now,” the president continued.

“This just happened, Trump continued. “She was savagely attacked, she’s dead now.”

Residents of complex where suspect lived recall FBI raid

Thursday 27 November 2025 23:42 , Mike Bedigan

Residents of the two-building apartment where D.C. shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal lived have recalled their “shock and surprise” after the building was raided by the FBI.

“We thought they were ICE at first,” Rachael Haycox, who was asleep on the third floor of her apartment when the raid occurred around 3 a.m., told The New York Times.

“But they yelled F.B.I. and that they had a search warrant.”

Haycox told the outlet that agents pulled a man out of the unit, pushed him against the wall and restrained him.

A flying drone and a wheeled robot were sent into the apartment for the search, which lasted about two hours in the early hours of Thursday.

Head of Afghan advocacy group slams Stephen Miller over Thanksgiving attacks on immigrants

Thursday 27 November 2025 23:15 , Mike Bedigan

Shawn VanDiver, head of advocacy group AfghanEvac, ripped into White House senior advisor Stephen Miller and his wife over their continued Thanksgiving day attacks on immigrants.

Van Diver replied to a post by Katie Miller, in which she boasted of her husbands efforts to slow the entry of Afghan military allies into the U.S.

“Katie and Stephen are spending their thanksgiving attacking immigrants, the thing they love to do most,” he wrote.

“We aren't going to be tricked. One man's lunatic behavior mustn't be used to vilify a whole community, especially one that stood by us for so long.”

Watch: National Guard shooter 'drove across the country to ambush troops in DC'

Thursday 27 November 2025 22:50 , Mike Bedigan

Recap: What is Operation Allies Welcome? The refugee scheme that allowed DC shooting suspect into the US

Thursday 27 November 2025 22:31 , Mike Bedigan

The man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House Wednesday night entered the country through Operation Allies Welcome, a resettlement program to assist Afghan nationals.

Harry Cockburn has more:

What is Operation Allies Welcome? The refugee scheme that allowed DC suspect into US

Watch: Trump calls for reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under Biden admin after National Guard shooting

Thursday 27 November 2025 22:00 , Independent Video

Mayor of Bellingham cooperating with authorities

Thursday 27 November 2025 21:31 , Ariana Baio

Kim Lund, the mayor of Bellingham, Washington, said she was working with federal authorities to help investigate the man accused of shooting two National Guard members on Wednesday.

“As mayor of Bellingham, I am directing local resources to be ready to support the FBI’s investigation. We share the resolve to see justice and accountability for this violent attack,” Lund said in a statement.

The suspected shooter resided in Bellingham with his wife and five children, according to authorities.

A “coast to coast” investigation is underway, FBI Director Kash Patel said.

Motive still unclear

Thursday 27 November 2025 21:00 , Ariana Baio

More details about the suspected shooter’s life have emerged in the 24 hours after shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. – but it remains unclear what his motive was.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said that the shooting appeared to be “targeted.” But why the suspected shooter chose to target National Guard troops in the nation’s capital is uncertain.

Governor of West Virginia visited with National Guard members

Thursday 27 November 2025 20:00 , Ariana Baio

Governor Patrick Morrisey, of West Virginia, visited with the two National Guard members who were shot Wednesday as well as their families, in Washington, D.C.

“I’m asking every West Virginian to pray for our two Guardsmen as their families, friends, and neighbors struggle with this unspeakable tragedy,” Morrisey said in a statement.

“These two Guardsmen voluntarily stepped up and risked everything for our state and nation - they are our protectors and some of the most courageous West Virginians you could possibly imagine.”

In a press release from the governor’s office, they acknowledged the two Guard members were in “very critical condition.”

Head of immigration says certain Green Card holders will be reexamined

Thursday 27 November 2025 19:46 , Ariana Baio

Green Card holders who come from “countries of concern” will be reexamined, the head of Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Thursday.

In the wake of the attack on two National Guard members, Joseph Edlow, the head of USCIS, said any Green Card holder from the list of concerning countries will undergo a “full-scale, rigorous” reexamination.

The announcement was made at the direction of President Donald Trump

The State Department currently identifies several countries of “particular” concern but earlier this year, Trump restricted entry from 19 countries.

That includes Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

He also partially restricted entry from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Flowers and American flag left at site of shooting

Thursday 27 November 2025 19:34 , Ariana Baio

A bouquet of flowers and an American flag were left in a flower box near the site of the National Guard shooting Thursday.

(AP)

Family of Andrew Wolfe calls for prayers

Thursday 27 November 2025 19:03 , Ariana Baio

In a phone call with the New York Times, a man at the family home of Andrew Wolfe, one of the National Guard members shot in D.C. Wednesday, said they needed “prayers.”

“All we need right now are prayers for my son,” the man, assumed to be Andrew’s father, told NYT.

He declined to give further details about Andrew’s condition.

Who is the National Guard shooting suspect

Thursday 27 November 2025 18:40 , Rachel Dobkin, Alex Croft

The motive of the suspect, identified in reports as a 29-year-old Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal, remains unclear. More than 2,000 National Guard troops have been deployed to D.C. in Trump’s crackdown on crime in the nation’s capital.

Read more here:

Rahmanullah Lakanwal: Who is the suspect in Washington DC National Guard shooting?

Watch: Jeanine Pirro says National Guard shooter 'drove across the country to ambush troops'

Thursday 27 November 2025 18:10 , Ariana Baio

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