Immigration lawyer says USCIS interviews for residency on hold ‘due to shooting in Washington, D.C.’

An immigration lawyer claims that U.S. residency interviews have been delayed due to the recent shootings in Washington, DC. This caused panic among applicants.Immigration attorney Charles Kuck said on The final ruling was on hold “due to Saturday night’s shooting,” he wrote.An incident involving a gun occurred last week at an event related to the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton. A gunman attempted to breach security and opened fire near a checkpoint, leading to an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service agents. The agent was shot but survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest. The suspect was arrested on the spot.Authorities confirmed that US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were safely evacuated without injury.Law enforcement later identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from Torrance, California. He traveled to Washington early and carried multiple weapons, including a shotgun and knives. Federal charges have been filed, including attempted assassination and gun crimes. Allen issued a 1,000-word manifesto to his family before committing the crime. His brother saw the document and called the police.Cook criticized the reported delays, describing the situation as “an immigration farce” and accusing authorities of using “any excuse to deprive people of the benefits they paid for.” He also criticized USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow in his rant.He added, “Typical nativist, clueless stupidity.”U.S. immigration agencies have not publicly confirmed any decision to suspend interviews. Cook’s comments come as applicants already go through a lengthy residency process, with applications often delayed for months or even years.Cook is the founder and managing partner of an immigration law firm with extensive experience handling visa and citizenship matters. He has represented asylum seekers in hundreds of immigration court cases.