President Trump is mulling whether to deport the family of the Afghan migrant accused of opening fire on National Guardsmen in Washington DC.
Trump said his team are ‘looking at that right now’ when asked about potentially deporting the wife and five children of 29-year-old terror suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal.
‘We’re looking at the whole situation with family. It’s a tragic situation, he added.
Trump spoke of potentially deporting Lakanwal’s family as the White House said it would ‘permanently pause’ all migration from third-world countries.
At an event on Thursday evening, Trump also announced the passing of West Virginia National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom, 20, days after the shooting.
The other National Guard soldier targeted in the shooting, Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.
On Friday morning, charges against Lakanwal were upgraded to first degree murder following Beckstrom’s death.
Lakanwal was brought to the United States in 2021 as part of former president Joe Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome when he withdrew from Afghanistan, which facilitated temporary visas for Afghans who assisted US
Special Forces.
He settled in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and at least five children, and their home was raided on Thursday by FBI agents.
Officials said at a Thursday press conference that Lakanwal drove across the country from his home in
Bellingham to DC before he fired at the troops on Wednesday afternoon with a .357 revolver.
FBI Director Kash Patel said his agency was carrying out a ‘coast-to-coast’ investigation, which has included raiding two properties in Washington associated with the suspect.
Lakanwal was previously charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, however officials said the charges were dependent on the condition of the victims.
Following Beckstrom’s passing, it is likely officials will make good on a vow from Attorney General Pam Bondi after the shooting, where she told Fox News that the White House could pursue terrorism charges and the death penalty in the case.
Late on Wednesday night, CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Fox News Lakanwal had direct links to the CIA from his work alongside US Special Forces in Afghanistan.
‘The Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government, including CIA, Ratcliffe admitted.
He said his involvement with the CIA was ‘as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation.’
Like President Trump, Ratcliffe slammed the former administration’s ‘disastrous’ actions during the withdrawal of Afghanistan, which allowed unvetted foreigners to enter the US on temporary visas.
‘The individual – and so many others – should have never been allowed to come here, Ratcliffe said.
‘Our citizens and service members deserve far better than to endure the ongoing fallout from the Biden administration’s catastrophic failures.’
Trump announced Beckstrom’s death on Thursday
evening during a call with military leaders to mark the Thanksgiving holiday.
He said: ‘She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now… she was an incredible person, outstanding in every single way.
