Trump vows indefinite halt to immigration from ‘third world' countries

The Trump administration has announced a sweeping review of all Green Cards issued to immigrants from 19 “countries of concern,” following the Washington, DC, shooting that left two US service members dead or critically injured.

The suspect, Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, had entered the US through a Biden-era resettlement programme for Afghans.

Trump says he plans to impose an indefinite halt on immigration from “third world” countries, saying, "you won't be here for long".

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow said President Donald Trump has ordered a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination” of every Green Card issued to immigrants from those countries.

“The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount,” Edlow said in a post on X, criticizing what he called “reckless resettlement policies” under the previous administration.

The new policy guidance—effective immediately—applies to all pending and newly filed cases as of November 27, 2025.

According to USCIS, the agency is now authorized to consider “negative, country-specific factors” when evaluating immigration benefits for people from 19 high-risk nations: 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 countries were also included in a travel-ban proclamation issued by Trump in June restricting the entry of certain foreign nationals on national security grounds.

The renewed scrutiny comes after the shooting of U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, on Wednesday. Trump announced on Thanksgiving that Beckstrom had died from her injuries, while Wolfe remained in critical condition.

Lakanwal, 29, entered the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome, a resettlement initiative created after the 2021 Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The Trump administration previously halted Afghan refugee admissions during its first year in office.

Edlow said the incident highlights what he described as weakened vetting standards during the Biden administration. “My primary responsibility is to ensure every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible,” he said.

The updated USCIS guidance is intended to help officers better determine whether an applicant may pose national security or public safety risks.

Trump referred to the DC shooting as a “terrorist attack” and criticized the previous Afghan evacuation effort, claiming those airlifted were inadequately screened. Speaking about Lakanwal, he said the suspect “went cuckoo… and that happens too often with these people.”

PTI/Reuters inputs