Suspected National Guard shooter reveals deeper problems with asylum seeker vetting

Published December 2, 2025 5:00am ET



U.S. protocols for admitting foreigners face growing scrutiny following the shooting of two National Guard troops last week in Washington, allegedly by an Afghan national.

The questions the Trump administration has been asked and declined to answer in the aftermath of the Wednesday attack are how alleged gunman Rahmanullah Lakanwal was able to obtain status as an asylum recipient earlier this year and whether he was vetted by the Department of Homeland Security.

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