On November 26, 2025, two National Guard members were shot near the White House in what officials described as a “targeted act of violence.” The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal — an Afghan national who entered the U.S. during the chaotic 2021 withdrawal — was quickly taken into custody. One soldier later died of her wounds.

Within hours, President Donald Trump called the shooting “an act of evil” and vowed a sweeping Trump immigration crackdown. The administration suspended all immigration applications from Afghan nationals, citing national security concerns. But as a columnist who’s covered US immigration policy for over two decades, I’ve seen this pattern before — and it rarely ends well.

The tragedy is real. The grief is raw. But the policy response? It’s dangerously familiar.

The Swift Policy Response and Its Risks

In the days following the National Guard shooting, the Trump administration rolled out a series of aggressive immigration measures:

• USCIS paused all Afghan immigration applications, pending new vetting protocols
• Public charge rule enforcement was expanded to scrutinize financial dependency
• H-1B visa reform discussions resurfaced, targeting high-skilled migrants from “third-world countries”
• Asylum seekers from conflict zones now face indefinite delays or blanket freezes

These moves may sound like border security upgrades, but they risk due process erosion for thousands of legal immigrants. When policy is driven by panic, nuance disappears. Suddenly, every Afghan national becomes a suspect. Every asylum seeker is a threat. And every visa holder is a liability.

This isn’t just about one shooting. It’s about how immigration panic can warp our laws, our values, and our sense of justice.

Echoes of History: Parallels to Past Overreactions

America has a long history of reacting to fear with sweeping, often discriminatory policies. Consider:

• The Patriot Act (2001): Passed after 9/11, it expanded surveillance and detention powers, disproportionately affecting Muslim communities.
• Japanese American Internment (1942): Over 120,000 people — most of them U.S. citizens — were forcibly relocated during WWII.
• The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): The first major law to restrict immigration based on ethnicity, it fueled decades of anti-Asian sentiment.

Each of these historical immigration overreactions was justified in the name of national security immigration. Each eroded civil liberties. And each left scars that still shape domestic division in America today.

The current crackdown echoes these moments. It’s not just about protecting borders — it’s about how fear can override fairness.

The Human Cost of Knee-Jerk Bans

Behind every policy are real people. Families waiting for reunification. Students on H-1B visas building careers. Refugees fleeing war zones. When we freeze asylum or tighten vetting without evidence, we punish the innocent.

• A tech worker from Kabul now faces deportation despite a clean record.
• A mother seeking asylum from Taliban threats is stuck in limbo.
• A U.S. citizen married to an Afghan national fears separation.

These aren’t hypotheticals. They’re the human cost of knee-jerk bans. And they deepen the migrant crisis by turning compassion into suspicion.

A Call for Balanced Reforms

We need balanced immigration reforms — not blanket bans. That means:

• Evidence-based vetting that targets risk, not nationality
• Bipartisan dialogue to ensure long-term solutions
• Protecting civil liberties while enhancing security
• Reforming deportation policies with transparency and oversight

Yes, we must respond to threats. But we must also remember that immigration reform 2025 isn’t just about who gets in — it’s about who we become.

So I ask: In our pursuit of safety, are we sacrificing justice? And if so, who will protect the soul of America?

For decades, unwavering support for Israel was the single, unshakeable bedrock of Republican foreign policy. It was a consensus that spanned the spectrum from neoconservative hawks to Evangelical Christian Zionists. Today, however, that foundation is cracking. The rise of the “America First” movement has introduced a deep, ideological split—a genuine civil war—over whether America’s interests are truly served by unconditional military and financial aid to its long-time ally.

As a foreign policy expert, I see this shift as the most significant internal realignment in the GOP since the Cold War. It’s no longer a simple debate between hawks and doves; it’s a fundamental conflict over the very definition of American national interest.

The Two Factions: MAGA Loyalists vs. America First Nationalists

The Republican Party is cleaving into two distinct foreign policy camps, and Israel is the fault line:

1. The Traditional Establishment (MAGA Loyalists)

This wing, exemplified by figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Lindsey Graham, maintains the traditional Republican view. Their stance blends geopolitics with Christian nationalism.

• Core Belief: They view the US-Israel relationship not only as a strategic alliance critical for stability in the Middle East but also as a sacred cause central to their understanding of Western civilization.
• Policy Stance: This camp advocates for unconditional aid and military support, often moving to fast-track billions in funding without any restrictive conditions, as seen in recent legislative efforts. For them, Israel’s security is America’s security.

2. The New Isolationists (America First)

This increasingly vocal and potent faction, whose most visible proponents include public figures like Tucker Carlson and some lawmakers like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rand Paul, challenges the conventional wisdom.

• Core Belief: The America First principle mandates prioritizing domestic resources and avoiding “endless wars and foreign entanglements.” They argue that a commitment to a foreign state, even a close ally, must pass a rigorous test: Does this truly and tangibly benefit the American taxpayer and US security above all else?
• Policy Stance: They question the necessity of giving away billions in aid when the US faces its own debt and domestic crises. Their rhetoric suggests that supporting Israel unconditionally runs contrary to their core nationalist principle that American interests come first, potentially draining resources and inviting foreign conflict. This faction has been particularly critical of US involvement in recent military conflicts, often linking the cost of supporting Israel to the wider cost of global engagement.

The Dividing Issue: Aid Without Conditions

The debate boils down to the question of conditionality in foreign aid.

The Traditional Establishment champions the historical, robust support for Israel, viewing any attempt to restrict aid as undermining a crucial ally in a hostile region. They are heavily supported by powerful lobbying groups, such as AIPAC, which work tirelessly to maintain the bipartisan consensus that has long shielded Israel funding.

Conversely, the America First group sees the current arrangement as a geopolitical burden. Their political strength is rooted in a growing sense of war fatigue and a populist desire to shift focus and capital back home. This sentiment is powerful among younger Republicans, who—unlike their older counterparts—show a significantly higher likelihood of holding an unfavorable view of Israel and questioning the importance of the conflict to US national interests.

Reshaping US Foreign Policy

This ideological fracture is not just about Israel; it is about the future direction of the Republican Party’s entire foreign policy platform:

1. Rise of Restraint: The debate over Israel is fueling a broader movement toward foreign policy restraint. It has created space for Republicans to openly dissent on major international commitments, a move that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. We see this play out most vividly in the simultaneous, and often opposed, debates over aid to Israel versus aid to Ukraine.
2. Weakening Bi-partisanship: While support for Israel remains strong in Congress, this internal GOP split weakens the once-impenetrable wall of bipartisan consensus on the issue. This opens a rare window for other actors, domestic and international, to engage with a changing—and less monolithic—political landscape in Washington.

The clash between these two Republican visions—the conservative internationalism of the past and the transactional nationalism of the present—is redefining the party. For the first time in a generation, the GOP is publicly wrestling with the cost, the morality, and the true self-interest of its most sacred alliance. The outcome of this internal struggle will determine the United States’ role in the Middle East and its posture toward the world for years to come.

A City in Mourning

Hong Kong is reeling from a catastrophic fire that engulfed seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Tai Po district. As of November 28, the official death toll stands at 128, with over 200 people still unaccounted for. The blaze, which began on Wednesday afternoon, was only fully extinguished by Friday morning, leaving behind charred ruins and unanswered questions.

Timeline of Events

• Nov 26, 2025: Fire breaks out in Wang Fuk Court complex
• Nov 27: Death toll reaches 44; nearly 300 reported missing
• Nov 28: Death toll climbs to 128; 79 injured, 15 in critical condition
• Nov 29: Search and recovery operations continue; smoke still lingers over the site

What Caused the Fire?

Authorities suspect that illegal renovations and faulty wiring may have contributed to the rapid spread. Eight individuals involved in the towers’ renovation have been arrested. Investigators are also examining whether fire safety codes were violated, and why sprinkler systems failed in several units.

Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, Chris Tang, stated that 89 bodies remain unidentified, and that the government is “more than willing” to release all relevant data.

Human Impact

Survivors describe scenes of chaos: blocked stairwells, smoke-filled corridors, and desperate attempts to escape. Families are still searching for loved ones, while hospitals treat dozens of burn victims and those suffering from smoke inhalation.

Community groups have mobilized to provide shelter, food, and psychological support to displaced residents. The emotional toll is immense, with many mourning multiple family members.

Government Response and Accountability

Officials have pledged a full investigation and promised to review urban fire safety protocols. The Hong Kong Fire Services Department is under scrutiny for response times and equipment failures. Meanwhile, lawmakers are calling for stricter enforcement of building codes and transparency in renovation approvals.

Broader Urban Safety Implications

This tragedy highlights the vulnerabilities of high-density housing in aging urban centers. Similar risks exist in other Asian megacities like Manila, Jakarta, and Mumbai. Experts warn that without proactive infrastructure upgrades, such disasters may become more frequent.

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call

The Hong Kong apartment fire deaths are not just a local tragedy—they’re a global warning. As cities grow vertically, safety must scale with them. The rising death toll from Hong Kong fires demands accountability, reform, and resilience.