Senator Tuberville Calls for Ban on Islamic Immigrants Following Attack

On Wednesday night, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville sparked controversy with a strong demand for the federal government to “IMMEDIATELY BAN all ISLAM immigrants and DEPORT every single Islamist who is living among us.” This came just hours after an Afghan national shot two members of the West Virginia National Guard in Washington, D.C.

The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, hails from Afghanistan’s Khost province, a predominantly Muslim area. Reports indicate that he shouted “Allahu Akbar!” during the incident, a phrase often linked to Islamist motives, according to law enforcement.

In a social media post that garnered rapid attention, Tuberville attributed the violence to former President Joe Biden’s “open border” policies, implying that these policies enable such threats.

“The Afghan terrorist who shot 2 National Guard heroes in D.C. was welcomed into this country with open arms by Joe Biden. We must IMMEDIATELY BAN all ISLAM immigrants and DEPORT every single Islamist who is living among us just waiting to attack,” Tuberville stated.

Lakanwal, 29, entered the United States in September 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome under the Biden administration and had his asylum status approved earlier this year.

Tuberville, a former college football coach, has a history of advocating against Sharia law’s influence in U.S. courts and restricting student visas from certain Muslim-majority nations. His approach, characterized by an “America First” ideology, aligns with concerns about national security and cultural integrity.

Though his stance has received support from conservative groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform, it has drawn sharp backlash from organizations like the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which label such views as “Islamophobic.”

In light of the recent attack, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a halt on processing immigration requests from Afghan nationals for further review of their security protocols.

Lakanwal had previously served for a decade in the Afghan National Army, reportedly alongside U.S. Special Forces. He had settled in Bellingham, Washington with his wife and five children before the shooting. The two National Guardsmen who were attacked are currently in critical condition.