Trump Moves to Halt Migration From ‘Third World Countries’ After National Guard Killing

US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced plans to halt migration from what he termed “third world countries,” following the fatal shooting of a National Guard soldier in Washington, D.C.

In a strongly worded social media post, Trump said he would “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover,” adding that he intended to reverse “millions” of admissions granted during Joe Biden’s administration and remove anyone he deemed “not a net asset to the United States.”

His statement came a day after an Afghan national allegedly opened fire on two National Guard members deployed as part of Trump’s domestic security initiative. One of the soldiers, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom from West Virginia, later died, while another, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition.

Federal authorities say the attack, described as an “ambush-style” shooting, has prompted an international terrorism investigation. Officials identified the suspected shooter as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who had previously worked alongside US forces in Afghanistan.

During a Thanksgiving call with US troops, Trump expressed the nation’s “anguish and horror” over the incident and linked it to his decision to deploy National Guard units to several major cities.

Joseph Edlow, Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), said he had ordered a “full scale, rigorous reexamination” of all Green Cards issued to nationals of “countries of concern,” referencing a list of 19 countries that includes Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, and Myanmar.

The Trump administration previously halted immigration processing from Afghanistan entirely.

Details of the Investigation

According to US Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, the suspect had traveled across the country before carrying out what she called a “brazen and targeted” attack. He has been charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill, which will be upgraded to first-degree murder if warranted.

Federal officials say they are still working to determine a motive.

Debate Over Afghan Resettlement

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Lakanwal had been part of a CIA-supported force in Afghanistan and was later brought to the US during the evacuation of Afghan partners. Senior Trump officials blamed “lax asylum screening” following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan under Biden.

However, AfghanEvac, an organization supporting Afghan resettlement, insisted that evacuees undergo “some of the most extensive security vetting” of any migrant group. The organization noted Lakanwal was granted asylum in April 2025 — under Trump — and was eligible to apply for permanent residency a year later.

“This individual’s isolated and violent act should not be used as an excuse to define or diminish an entire community,” said AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver.

More Security Deployments Planned

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said an additional 500 troops would be sent to Washington, bringing the total to 2,500. Trump has also deployed forces to several Democrat-led cities, prompting legal challenges and accusations of federal overreach.

Opinion Nigeria News