The Trump administration has ordered a review of the residency and work permits of all immigrants from 19 countries, including Eritrea, following heightened security concerns in Washington, D.C.

Joseph Edlow, head of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, said President Trump directed “a rigorous review of the residency and work permits of all immigrants from countries of concern.” Other countries on the list include Somalia, Sudan, Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Yemen, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, and Venezuela.

The directive comes days after an Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakhanwal, shot and seriously injured two National Guard members near the White House. Lakhanwal entered the United States in 2021 under a programme granting special immigration protections to Afghans following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

President Trump described the attack as a “major national security threat.” Edlow noted the permit review but did not specify whether it was directly linked to the incident.