Members of the Afghan community held a candlelight vigil outside the White House on Sunday for Sarah Beckstrom, a National Guard member who died after being shot in Washington, DC, last week.
One attendee, 22-year-old Omidullah, who fled Afghanistan during the 2021 Taliban takeover and drove from Dallas for the event, said he came to show that Afghan immigrants “are people of peace and law” and want to help make the United States “a safe home” for their future.
The vigil followed condemnation from the Hazara American Association after authorities identified the shooting suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national living in the US Beckstrom, 20, died of her injuries, while Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.
The association expressed condolences to the victims’ families and said the attack was a criminal act by an individual, warning against blaming or stigmatizing immigrant communities.
US authorities have said they continue to investigate the shooting.
The DC shooting has intensified scrutiny of Afghan migrants in the United States, prompting concern among advocacy groups that the incident could fuel political pressure for tougher vetting and tighter immigration controls.
Lawyers working on Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) and humanitarian parole cases say the attack has already led to delays in interviews and additional security reviews for Afghan applicants, including those who previously passed background checks.
Immigrant support organisations warn that the case risks triggering a broader slowdown in asylum processing, as federal agencies reassess pending files and lawmakers call for wider investigations into recent arrivals.
Several advocacy groups say Afghans who fled Taliban persecution fear being unfairly associated with the suspect, and worry that the incident could be used to justify stricter policies or prolonged pauses in resettlement and asylum decisions.
