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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday she is recommending sweeping new travel restrictions targeting countries whose nationals have been tied to criminal activity in the United States, following last week’s fatal shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
The proposal came after Noem met with President Donald Trump at the White House. The attack, which killed one Guardsman and critically injured another, involved a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the United States on a special visa in 2021, following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The suspect had been living in Washington state.
“I just met with the President,” Noem wrote on X. “I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.”
Noem argued the United States is under no obligation to admit individuals who pose risks, saying, “Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom—not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON’T WANT THEM. NOT ONE.”
The administration is also reviewing additional immigration and security measures in response to the shooting. Over the weekend, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a pause on asylum decisions until all vetting procedures are reassessed, stating that security checks must be “fully completed to ensure American safety.”
“Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols. The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission,” the agency stated on X.
The State Department last week also suspended all visa issuances for Afghan nationals, a move officials described as temporary while agencies review vetting failures connected to the suspect.
The recommendations from Noem add to a growing list of proposals under consideration as federal officials weigh a broader overhaul of post-Afghanistan withdrawal immigration practices. The Department of Homeland Security has not released further details on the potential travel ban.