WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump has announced a radical new immigration proposal, vowing to “permanently pause” migration from all countries he classifies as “third-world,” a move that would represent one of the most extensive restrictions on immigration in modern U.S. history.
The policy declaration, made on his social media platform Truth Social, comes in the wake of a violent incident near the White House that has intensified the national debate over immigration and security.
The Proposed Policy: An Unprecedented Pause
In his posts, Trump outlined a multi-pronged approach that goes far beyond a simple moratorium on new arrivals. The key components include:
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A “Permanent Pause”: A halt on all migration from what he termed “Third World Countries.” Trump did not specify which nations fall under this category, a term considered outdated and pejorative by many modern economists and political scientists. Historically, it referred to non-aligned nations during the Cold War, but it is now often used informally to describe developing nations.
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Retroactive Termination: The plan would “terminate all of the millions of Biden-era admissions,” including cases already approved under the Biden administration. This suggests an effort to revoke legal status for individuals who have already been granted entry.
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Expansive Deportation Criteria: Trump pledged to “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States.” He further specified the deportation of foreign nationals deemed a “public charge, a security risk, or incompatible with Western civilization,” terms that are highly subjective and would likely face immediate legal challenges.
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Ending Benefits and “Denaturalization”: The proposal includes ending all federal benefits and subsidies for noncitizens and a controversial pledge to “denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility”—a action of stripping naturalized citizens of their citizenship, which is extremely rare and legally fraught under current law.
Context: A Reaction to a National Guard Tragedy
The announcement follows the death of a National Guard member who was shot and killed in an ambush near the White House. Investigators have alleged the attack was carried out by an Afghan national. This incident has provided a potent backdrop for Trump’s hardline immigration message, linking border security directly to domestic safety.
However, a complicating detail emerged from a U.S. government file reviewed by Reuters: the alleged gunman was granted asylum earlier this year during Trump’s own administration.
Administrative Actions Already Underway
Even before this sweeping policy declaration, the Trump administration had begun implementing stricter immigration reviews:
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The Department of Homeland Security has been ordered to conduct a widespread audit of asylum cases approved under President Biden, as well as Green Cards issued to citizens of 19 specific, yet unnamed, countries.
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Wednesday that it had indefinitely stopped processing all immigration requests related to Afghan nationals.
A spokesperson for the White House and USCIS did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the former president’s latest statement.
Legal and Political Implications
Legal experts were quick to question the constitutionality and feasibility of such a plan. A “permanent” ban on entire categories of countries would almost certainly be challenged in court as a violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which outlawed discrimination in immigration based on national origin.
Furthermore, the retroactive cancellation of already-approved legal admissions and the denaturalization of citizens would create unprecedented legal battles concerning due process and the finality of legal status.
Politically, the proposal solidifies immigration as a central pillar of Trump’s campaign, drawing a stark contrast with the policies of the Biden administration. In his statement, Trump asserted that these measures are necessary to “allow the US system to fully recover” and achieve a “major reduction in illegal and disruptive populations.”
As the 2024 election cycle intensifies, this announcement ensures that the debate over the scale, scope, and very nature of American immigration will remain at the forefront of the national conversation.
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