Will Trump's Green Card crackdown impact Indians? Full list of 19 countries affected after White House shooting

Following the shooting of two National Guard members by an Afghan national near the White House on Wednesday, the Trump administration announced it will carry out a thorough review of all Green Cards issued to immigrants from “every country of concern.”

Will new Green Card crackdown impact Indians?

Indians living in the United States will not be impacted by this crackdown on Green Card holders, as India is not on the list of countries of concern. However, the Trump administration has not specifically named the countries which will be impacted by the latest stringent measures.

Trump administration's Green Card crackdown

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow said he has ordered a comprehensive and thorough review of all Green Card applications from individuals from countries of concern, following a directive from US President Donald Trump.

In a post on X, Eldow said, “At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern."

Taking a dig at the Biden administration, he added, “The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies. American safety is non-negotiable.”

Which are countries of concern?

In a June 2025 order, the Trump administration issued directives limiting the entry of nationals from certain countries. The list includes: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

White House shooting incident

The latest Green Card crackdown comes after an Afghan national, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, opened fire on two Guard members just blocks from the White House on Wednesday, 26 November, according to reports. One of them, 20-year-old Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, was killed, while 24-year-old US Air Force Staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition, Reuters reported.

Donald Trump's action

In response to the incident, Donald Trump on Thursday announced his administration will implement a permanent suspension of migration from all "Third World countries" to allow the US system sufficient time to recover fully. Trump also stated that the US will cease all federal benefits and subsidies to non-citizens within the country, according to the report.

Apart from the Green Card crackdown, the Trump administration issued new guidance, allowing for country-specific factors to be considered when vetting aliens from 19 high-risk countries.