WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will “permanently pause migration” to the United States from all “third world countries,” citing strains on the nation’s immigration system.
In a post on his platform, Truth Social, Trump said the move would allow the US to “fully recover” from immigration policies that, he claimed, have harmed the living standards of Americans. He did not specify which countries would be affected or explain how the plan would be implemented.
The announcement comes after a recent shooting in Washington DC, in which an Afghan national allegedly killed one member of the National Guard and injured another. Trump described the attack as an “act of terror” and tied it to what he calls a national security threat posed by foreign nationals.
“This shows the major threat posed by foreigners who should not be in our country,” Trump wrote. He also pledged to end federal benefits and subsidies for non-citizens and to remove anyone he considers “not a net asset” to the United States.
Following the incident, the US suspended immigration processing for Afghans pending a review of “security and vetting protocols.” The Citizenship and Immigration Services agency said it will re-examine green cards issued to immigrants from 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela.
The suspect in the Washington DC shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, came to the US in 2021 under a programme protecting Afghans who worked with American forces after the Taliban takeover. Lakanwal had previously worked with the CIA and was granted asylum in 2024.
Trump’s statements reflect a continuation of his hardline stance on immigration, echoing policies from his first term, when travel bans were imposed on several majority-Muslim countries. Experts say the announcements are likely to spark intense debate over human rights, national security, and the role of migration in American society.
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