Donald Trump has stated he will permanently pause migration to the US from all third world countries.
The US president wrote in a Truth Social post that the decision would allow the US system to fully recover from immigration policies that had eroded the gains and living conditions of many Americans. He did not provide details of his plan or name which countries might be affected.
Trump's comments come a day after an Afghan national was accused of shooting two members of the National Guard in Washington DC, one of whom has died.
This and other announcements following the attack indicate a further toughening of Trump's stance towards immigration, a key issue throughout his political career.
Trump previously asserted that the shooting underscored a major national security threat and promised to remove any foreigner from any country who does not belong here.
On the same day, the US suspended processing all immigration requests from Afghans, citing a review of security and vetting protocols.
Furthermore, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced they would re-examine green cards issued to individuals who immigrated from 19 countries, including a list that involves Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela.
These recent announcements come after officials revealed that the suspect in the DC shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, had immigrated to the US in 2021 under a program offering special protections to Afghans who cooperated with US forces following the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump's latest statements have included a commitment to eliminate federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens and to declare that refugees contribute to social dysfunction in America. The former president expressed his intention to remove those who are not considered net assets to the country.
In a context where the brutal attack is described as an act of terror by Trump, it reinforces the ongoing narrative around security and immigration control as primary themes in his political agenda.
