World Relief Responds to Horrific Attacks in Washington, D.C.

Global evangelical humanitarian organization warns against punishing thousands of innocent people for the evil actions of one, reiterates call for congressional action

BALTIMORE, Md. – World Relief is devastated by last Wednesday’s shooting of two members of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.  

“We grieve the death of Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and are praying for the full recovery of Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe,” commented Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “We condemn any act of violence, and our hearts go out to the families whose Thanksgiving holiday was marked by loss. We lift them up in prayer in this time of grief.” 

According to media reports, the suspect in this heinous crime is an individual originally from Afghanistan who was brought to the United States by the U.S. government in 2021 as a part of Operation Allies Welcome after serving alongside the CIA. Reportedly, he was granted asylum in April 2025.  

“The perpetrator in this case should face due justice under the law, but we should recognize these evil actions as those of one person, not judge tens of thousands of others who have nothing to do with this offense,” added Greene. “We urge the Church to take the lead in grieving well and resisting the temptation to vilify neighbors who may look like someone who has acted out evil. 

“When fear dictates policy, compassion disappears. We must model love for neighbors and work for an immigration policy that both protects national security and extends compassionate welcome to our foreign-born neighbors as our Scriptures repeatedly teach us to do.” 

In light of the attack in Washington, President Trump and members of his administration have called for broad restrictions and penalties for various categories of immigrants with no connection to this attack, including Lawful Permanent Residents who have been living peacefully and productively in the United States for years or even decades and individuals abroad who have been waiting patiently in already-backlogged legal processes to be reunited to family, to fill a labor need in the United States or to find religious and political freedoms denied from them in their countries of origin. 

“When President Trump announces his intention to ‘permanently halt’ all migration from ‘Third World countries,’ he’s insulting the majority of the global Church, including individuals persecuted for their faith in Jesus whom his policies have already abandoned,” said Greene. “When his administration halts processing for all Afghans on account of the evil actions of one person, he risks abandoning tens of thousands of others who risked their lives alongside the U.S. military to protect our country and its values.” 

World Relief urges American Christians, who have been at the forefront of welcoming both Afghans after the fall of Kabul and those admitted separately as refugees for at least half a century, to reject simplistic narratives that judge broad swaths of people by their nationality or ethnicity. 

Greene added that “World Relief has supported the Afghan Adjustment Act since the first version of this bill was introduced in 2022. This bill and similar legislation have long been supported by prominent veterans groups, national security experts and faith-based organizations like World Relief precisely because the bill would both ensure that Afghans admitted were vetted to the same gold standard as the U.S. refugee admissions process and can rebuild their lives with the confidence that they belong permanently in this country.” 

World Relief, through its network of offices, affiliates and church partners across the United States, is eager to walk alongside refugees and other immigrants who feel uniquely vulnerable in the current moment. Across the country, World Relief served more than 3,000 Afghans through Operation Allies Welcome, in addition to hundreds of thousands of refugees resettled since 1979. 

To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org. For additional information about resettlement processes, reach out to media@wr.org. In compliance with its agreement with the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, World Relief and other resettlement agencies cannot release the names of their clients.  For questions about individual cases, reach out to the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration