Late Thursday, President Trump took to social media to announce his plans to suspend immigration from developing nations into the U.S.
In a post on Truth Social, he stated that he “will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.” This surprising announcement comes on the heels of a tragic shooting incident in downtown Washington, D.C., where a National Guard member lost their life, and another was critically hurt.
The suspect involved, a 29-year-old Afghan national, entered the U.S. in September 2021, part of a larger group of Afghan evacuees following the American troop withdrawal. The Trump administration has since taken a hardline stance against current immigration policies, claiming these policies failed to prevent this individual’s entry into the U.S.
While the president didn’t provide a timeline for when this immigration pause would start or how it would be executed, he made it clear that millions of migrants who were admitted under former President Biden’s policies could face status termination. He reiterated plans to “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States.” Furthermore, Trump emphasized that “Federal benefits and subsidies” for “noncitizens” would end, advocating for deportation of individuals deemed a “security risk or incompatible with Western Civilization.”
Just hours earlier, the Trump administration announced plans for a detailed review of all green card situations for immigrants from 19 specific nations labeled as concerns, which include Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and Venezuela.
Additionally, a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to CBS News that the ongoing examination includes reviewing asylum cases approved during Biden’s term in office.
Notably, the accused shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was allowed into the U.S. from Afghanistan as a humanitarian measure and was granted asylum earlier this year, within Trump’s administration term.
Reports indicate that the suspect resided with his family in Bellingham, Washington, before making the journey to D.C. Some troubling revelations came forth, mentioning that he worked with the U.S. government entities, including the CIA, as part of local forces in Kandahar until 2021.
Lastly, Mr. Trump disclosed that the attacker, who faced off with a National Guardsman during the ambush, is currently in serious condition. Many questions loom around these developments as the administration pushes forward with its intensified immigration stance following the unsettling events in Washington.
