(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Immigration lawyers and Afghan community advocates say ICE arrests of Afghans have climbed in the weeks since the November 26 National Guard shooting in Washington, D.C., a case that has set off a new round of security talk and tighter screening. They point to clients taken into custody at routine check-ins, traffic stops, and workplace encounters, often after years of compliance.
No federal agency has released a nationwide tally tied to the post-shooting period, but lawyers tracking cases across several states describe an uptick that feels sudden and personal. Families say the fear spreads fast through evacuee networks.
Who was the suspect and immediate federal response
Authorities said the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was an Afghan national granted asylum earlier in 2025, a protection that lets someone stay in the United States 🇺🇸 because they fear harm back home.
After the shooting, several news outlets, including ABC News, reported that the Trump administration suspended visas for Afghan nationals and froze some asylum decisions for Afghans while it reviewed screening. Senior officials publicly linked the attack to concerns about vetting — language that Afghan residents say has painted them with one brush.
Immigration attorneys say the shift also changed how field officers treat Afghan cases day to day.
Patterns lawyers and advocates report
Lawyers say many of the new detentions involve people with no recent criminal convictions, and some were in the middle of paperwork tied to evacuation programs from 2021.
They describe ICE officers doing one or more of the following:
– Reopening old files
– Issuing new notices to appear
– Placing people in expedited removal, a fast-track process that can lead to deportation without a full hearing unless the person can show a fear claim
Reporters have cited tracked arrests of “roughly two dozen” Afghans, but those figures come from case-by-case monitoring, not a government dashboard. In local courts, judges and prosecutors have not flagged a coordinated criminal sweep.
“It feels like we’re all suspects,” said one Afghan father in the Mid-Atlantic, who asked not to be named because he fears detention.
He arrived during the 2021 airlift and has checked in with immigration officers as required, but after the National Guard shooting he started hearing about friends taken by ICE after routine appointments.
Similar accounts appear in NPR and other reporting that describe panic in apartment complexes and mosques, where people share lawyer numbers and move less. Some families keep packed bags by the door in case of arrest.
Broader administration steps tied to the post-shooting period
ABC News tied the rise in ICE arrests to broader administration moves after November 26, including:
- A pause on new asylum filings
- Added vetting for certain applicants
- Steps aimed specifically at Afghans
Some of those steps affected Afghans who say they aided U.S. efforts — including former members of Afghan units that worked with American agencies, sometimes called the “Zero Unit,” according to reporting.
Advocates warn that delays and freezes can push people out of status and make them easier to detain, even if they are waiting on decisions. That risk is highest for those with expiring work permits.
Asylum basics and how freezes affect people
- Asylum is not a visa; it is a legal status granted after a person shows past harm or a real fear of future harm for reasons like religion or political opinion.
- When decisions are frozen, lawyers say people can be left in limbo, unable to plan for jobs, housing, or family reunification.
For readers checking the basics of the program, the United States 🇺🇸 government outlines the rules and rights on the USCIS asylum page.
Attorneys add that even detained asylum seekers may ask for a “credible fear” interview, but access can depend on location and counsel during early custody.
Changes in enforcement behavior
Immigration lawyers report the enforcement mood changed quickly after the shooting:
– Field offices are asking more questions about travel history and social media
– More cases are being referred to detention rather than release
The administration defends its steps as a response to screening gaps highlighted by the suspect’s asylum grant; supporters argue the public expects a tougher posture after violence. Afghan advocates counter that most Afghans here were vetted repeatedly, and they fear the new tone will fuel bias.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, uncertainty itself can drive people underground even when they qualify for relief under law.
Data gaps and community effects
What remains hard to pin down is scale. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not posted a public breakdown showing how many Afghans were arrested before and after November 26, or whether the arrests were tied to any written priority.
- Lawyers say they can only count what reaches their phones.
- Community groups often learn of custody through relatives.
- For deeper data, advocates sometimes file Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, but those can take months.
In the meantime, rumors travel faster than documents, and people may skip appointments out of fear. That can lead to warrants and detention.
Practical advice from attorneys
In interviews, attorneys urge Afghan clients to:
1. Keep copies of identity documents and any immigration receipts.
2. Tell family where to find those documents if ICE arrives.
3. Avoid missing court dates or check-ins, because those can trigger an arrest order — even for people with strong cases.
Local responses and broader consequences
Some local elected officials in areas with large Afghan populations have asked DHS for clarity, arguing that community cooperation with police and schools suffers when residents think any contact with government leads to detention.
Federal officials, in turn, say enforcement protects public safety and national security. For many Afghans, those assurances ring hollow.
Afghan legal service providers say the ripple effects extend beyond those arrested:
– Employers worry about losing trained workers
– Landlords worry about sudden vacancies
– Families weigh whether to move again after finally settling
Some Afghans who helped U.S. forces hoped to bring spouses or parents through pending applications, but pauses reported by news outlets have left them waiting with no clear end date.
In immigration court, lawyers expect more fights over bond and over whether old removal orders can be revived. For now, each new detention call reinforces the message that the ground can shift overnight for Afghans across the country.
After the Nov. 26 National Guard shooting, lawyers and community groups report a noticeable rise in ICE arrests of Afghans—including evacuees and those with no recent convictions. The administration paused some Afghan asylum filings and added vetting, prompting officers to reopen files and use expedited removal. Advocates warn freezes and delays risk status lapses and community fear, urging DHS transparency while legal teams advise document readiness and avoiding missed appointments.
