President Trump is considering the possibility of deporting the family of the Afghan migrant accused of shooting at National Guardsmen in Washington DC.
Trump said that his team is “looking into this issue right now” when asked about deporting the wife and five children of the 29-year-old terror suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal.
“We are examining the entire situation regarding the family. It’s a tragic situation,” he added.
President Trump spoke about deporting Lakanwal’s family while the White House announced it would “permanently pause” all migration from third-world countries.
During an event on Thursday evening, Trump also announced the death of West Virginia National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom, 20, a few days after the shooting.
The other National Guard soldier involved, Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition. On Friday morning, charges against Lakanwal were upgraded to first-degree murder following Beckstrom’s death.
Lakanwal was brought to the United States in 2021 as part of former President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome,” during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, which provided temporary visas for Afghans who assisted U.S. Special Forces.
He settled in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and at least five children, and their home was raided on Thursday by FBI agents.
Officials said at a Thursday press conference that Lakanwal drove from Bellingham to DC before shooting at the troops with a .357 revolver. FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is conducting a “coast-to-coast” investigation, including raids of two properties linked to the suspect in Washington.
Lakanwal had previously been charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a violent crime. Officials said the charges depended on the victims’ condition. After Beckstrom’s death, it is likely authorities will follow through on Attorney General Pam Bondi’s promise to pursue terrorism charges and the death penalty.
On Wednesday night, CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Fox News that Lakanwal had direct links to the CIA from his work with U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan.
“The Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 because of his prior work with the U.S. government, including the CIA,” Ratcliffe admitted. He said Lakanwal’s involvement with the CIA was “as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly after the chaotic evacuation.”
Like Trump, Ratcliffe criticized the former administration’s “disastrous” actions during the Afghanistan withdrawal, which allowed unvetted foreigners into the U.S. “This individual—and many others—should never have been allowed to come here. Our citizens and service members deserve far better than to endure the consequences of the Biden administration’s catastrophic failures.”
Trump announced Beckstrom’s death Thursday evening during a call with military leaders for Thanksgiving. He said: “She has just passed away. She is no longer with us. She’s looking down at us… she was an incredible person, outstanding in every way.”
He also announced a permanent pause on migration from third-world countries and a green card audit of 19 nations in response to the shooting.
In a Truth Social post, Trump criticized former President Joe Biden for allowing unvetted migrants into the U.S., claiming he allowed the Afghan suspect to enter during the 2021 withdrawal.
“I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover,” he wrote. Trump also vowed to end all federal benefits for noncitizens, revoke citizenship from migrants who undermine the U.S., and deport any foreign nationals deemed a security risk or “incompatible with Western Civilization.”
“Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully solve this situation,” Trump wrote. “Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those who hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything America stands for—you won’t be here for long!”
The countries that will face review are: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.