On Nov. 26, Afghan Rahmanullah Lakanwal ambushed two members of the National Guard, Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe, just a few blocks from the White House. Beckstrom died the following day, and Wolfe remains in critical condition. Lakanwal is facing a first-degree murder charge, and federal investigators are searching for a motive. They have found that Lakanwal had some financial stress and was struggling with his mental health after the recent death of a friend.

As a result of the event, all visa reviews have been paused for people from Afghanistan. Additionally, all asylum decisions have been halted and will not restart until the agency has dealt with a backlog of over a million cases. While it is important and understandable to be concerned about personal safety in times like these, it is also important to recognize the plight of individuals and families trying to enter a nation where they are not persecuted in one way or another, people who are suffering repercussions from the actions of one person of a similar background.