Applications

Flowers and an American flag are seen on Thursda at the scene where two West Virginia National Guard members were shot near the White House in downtown Washington, D.C. An Afghan national who worked with the CIA in his native country has been arrested in connection with the shooting. One of the victims has died. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 28 (UPI) — The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told staff Friday that it will pause all applications for asylum filed by migrants inside the United States in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.

On Thursday, the president announced he will “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries.” Then Friday evening, all affirmative asylum applicants were paused.

Affirmative asylum applicants must apply for protection from USCIS asylum officers. Applications must be filed within a year of when migrants arrive in the United States. Defensive asylum applications are used when an applicant faces deportation.

U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the attack, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition. They were both members of the West Virginia National Guard.

The suspect, Rahmanulla Lakanwal, 29, is hospitalized after being shot by another guard member. He is an immigrant from Afghanistan and will face a first-degree murder charge.

Lakanwal came to the United States in 2021 and got asylum in April, The Times reported. But it was not clear if it was affirmative asylum.

“USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible,” said Joseph Edlow, director of the agency, in a statement Friday. “The safety of the American people always comes first.”

Asylum officers at USCIS were told to not approve, deny or close asylum applications received by the agency, according to CBS News.

Officers were told the pause applied to all USCIS asylum cases, which includes those filed by Afghans who arrived under a Biden administration effort. In-person appointments for asylum applicants would be canceled, at least for Monday. The appointments were for applicants to find out what decisions have been made on their cases.

The Passport Office has shared an update

HM Passport Office has issued a warning to those applying for new or replacement passports, as they may face delays. At the moment a standard adult passport for those aged 16 and over costs £94.50 when applied for online, or £107 when using the paper form.

To apply online and save some cash, you’ll need a digital photo. This can be obtained from a photo booth or shop prior to your passport application, or by taking one with your own device during the application process.

If you choose to use a photo booth, you can receive a code to input during your online application. However, the Passport Office has explained that certain guidelines must be adhered to if you want to get your passport as soon as possible.

In a recent alert on X, previously known as Twitter, HM Passport Office said: “A rejected photo can delay your application. Make sure your photo has a plain, light background. Shows your full face with a neutral expression and has no shadows, filters, or headwear.”

Additional advice on Gov.uk states that your photo must be clear and in focus, in colour, unaltered by computer software, at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, and between 50KB and 10MB in size. The photo should not include other objects or people, should not have ‘red eye’, should be taken against a plain and light-coloured background, and should clearly contrast with the background.

You should also only wear glasses if absolutely necessary. If you do need to wear glasses, ensure they’re not tinted or sunglasses and that your eyes aren’t obscured by the frames, glare, reflection, or shadow.

Should your photo and application be acceptable, you can expect to receive your new or replacement passport within three weeks.