US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a series of sweeping declarations on Truth Social, signalling drastic shifts in America’s immigration policy, including a pledge to “permanently pause” migration from “all third world countries” and initiate “reverse migration” for certain immigrant groups.
In a lengthy statement, Trump claimed the move was necessary to allow the US immigration system to “fully recover” from what he described as years of strain. “Unchecked migration has weakened American society and drained its resources,” he wrote, adding that no new immigrants from unspecified “third world countries” would be allowed to enter until the system stabilises. He did not name any nations or clarify the legal scope of the proposed pause.
The announcements suggest a significant expansion of immigration restrictions, with potential consequences for millions of people across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The proposals could affect refugee admissions, Green Card processes, and other long-standing immigration pathways.
The latest escalation comes a day after the US government suspended the processing of all immigration applications from Afghan nationals, following a shooting near the White House in which two National Guard soldiers were hit. Trump earlier disclosed that Sarah Beckstrom, one of the troops shot, had died, while the second soldier remained in critical condition.
Trump linked the shooting to broader immigration failures, asserting that suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal had entered the US during the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan. CIA Director John Ratcliffe later confirmed that Lakanwal had worked with US forces in Kandahar and arrived as part of partner force resettlement, but described the episode as part of the “disastrous withdrawal” under the Biden administration.
In his new policy outline, Trump said he would denaturalise migrants who “undermine domestic tranquillity” and deport any foreign national considered a public charge, security threat, or “not compatible with Western civilisation.” He argued that America needed time “to fully recover” from years of what he termed an immigration onslaught.
He further criticised his predecessor Joe Biden, saying he would terminate “millions” of admissions granted under the previous administration, including entries “signed by sleepy Joe’s autopen.” He said anyone who did not contribute positively to the US or “love our country” would be removed.
Trump also reiterated plans to implement “reverse migration,” encouraging individuals who had entered the US illegally or “disrupted American society” to return to their countries of origin. He described the measure as essential to restoring law and order.
Another key component of the president’s proposals is the elimination of federal benefits for non-citizens. Trump wrote that ending access to welfare, healthcare subsidies, and other assistance programmes for migrants would reduce the financial burden on American taxpayers and “put citizens first.”
In one of his Truth Social posts, Trump shared an image of Afghan evacuees being airlifted during the 2021 Kabul withdrawal. “Hundreds of thousands of people poured into our country totally unvetted,” he wrote. “We will fix it, but never forget what crooked Joe Biden and his thugs did to our country!”
Meanwhile, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow announced a “full-scale, rigorous reexamination” of every Green Card issued to immigrants from 19 countries listed in a June presidential proclamation. These include Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, Venezuela, and others — but notably not Pakistan.
Edlow said the review reflects Trump’s commitment to prioritise national security and address what he described as the previous administration’s “reckless resettlement policies.” Millions of Green Card holders and long-term residents from these nations could now face additional scrutiny.
Following the shooting near the White House, the Pentagon deployed an additional 500 National Guard personnel to Washington, bringing the total to 2,700.
USCIS has also suspended all immigration processing for Afghan nationals pending a reassessment of vetting procedures. Approximately 200,000 Afghans remain in limbo as the review continues.
In his posts, Trump repeated his long-standing claim that immigration constitutes “the single greatest national security threat,” alleging that the prior administration admitted “20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners from all over the world.”
The combined policy signals point to one of the most far-reaching immigration overhauls in US history, potentially reshaping the lives of millions of current residents and future applicants from developing nations.
Leave a comment