U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced Thursday plans to suspend migration from what he termed “Third World countries”, following an incident in Washington in which an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard soldiers.
In a social media statement, President Trump said, “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.” He also indicated that his administration may review and reverse millions of admissions granted under the previous administration and remove any foreign nationals deemed “not a net asset to the United States.”
The administration emphasized that a rigorous re-examination of all Green Cards issued to immigrants from “countries of concern” will be conducted. In addition, federal benefits and subsidies for non-U.S. citizens may be suspended, and foreign nationals identified as a security risk or “non-compatible with Western civilisation” may face deportation.
“These goals will be pursued with the aim of achieving a major reduction in illegal and disruptive populations,” Mr. Trump said. “Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation.”
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued new guidance allowing for “negative, country-specific factors” to be considered during immigration vetting for 19 countries identified as “high-risk.” These include: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Burundi, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen. These are the same countries previously affected by a travel ban issued by the Trump administration in June 2025.
In another social media post, President Trump stated that the current U.S. foreign population stands at 53 million people, the majority of whom he claimed are dependent on welfare or are associated with “failed nations, prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels.”
The announcement marks a significant escalation of the administration’s anti-migrant policies during Trump’s second term, which has been characterized by a mass deportation campaign and stricter immigration enforcement measures.