U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Sunday that authorities believe Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan immigrant accused of killing a National Guard member in Washington, D.C., was radicalized only after entering the United States. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press and ABC’s This Week, Noem stated that investigators think Lakanwal became radicalized while living in Washington state. Officials are currently gathering information from his family members and others familiar with his activities.
Lakanwal, 29, was identified as the suspect in Wednesday’s attack near the White House that killed one National Guard member and critically injured another. The incident has intensified political debate over immigration and asylum vetting. Although former President Joe Biden oversaw Lakanwal’s 2021 entry as part of the Afghan evacuation, government records reviewed by Reuters indicate he was granted asylum under President Donald Trump earlier this year. Trump has since suggested a possible extended pause on asylum admissions, citing national security concerns.
Noem also confirmed that Lakanwal had once been part of a CIA-backed unit in Afghanistan and may have embraced extremist views after settling in the U.S. She warned that authorities would pursue anyone with relevant information about the attack. The administration has already frozen processing of all asylum applications, and Noem said officials would review every pending case for potential deportation if deemed necessary.
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