The suspect accused of shooting two National Guard members came to the US on September 8, 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Operation Allies Welcome is a Biden-era program, launched in August 2021 to protect vulnerable Afghans in the wake of the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Most Afghans who arrived under Operation Allies Welcome were allowed to enter and remain in the US for two years. More than 40% of the migrants admitted in the program were eligible for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) because they took great risks to help the US, or were related to someone who did, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, applied for asylum in 2024 and was granted it earlier this year, under the Trump administration, according to multiple law enforcement officials.
Over 190,000 Afghans have resettled in the US under Operation Allies Welcome, which was later renamed Enduring Welcome, according to the State Department.
Since taking office in January, Trump has enacted sweeping changes to US refugee policy and foreign assistance, cutting off thousands of Afghans who helped the US during the war from critical resources, as CNN has reported.
Read more here on the program that officials say brought the suspect to the US.