Late on Thursday, Donald Trump announced a “permanent pause” on migration from “all Third World Countries,” sharply escalating his immigration crackdown.
The president’s remarks came a day after two National Guard members were shot – one of whom has since died from her injuries – in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. The primary suspect has been identified as an Afghan national.
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In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared, “I will permanently halt migration from all Third World countries so that the US system can fully recover.”
He didn’t give any countries’ names or what “third world” meant. But the phrase “third world” generally refers to Global South countries that are economically still developing or economically disadvantaged.
Additionally, he added that anyone who “is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country” will be expelled.
Trump added that “noncitizens” will no longer receive federal benefits or subsidies, and he will “denaturalize” migrants who threaten domestic tranquillity and deport any foreign national who poses a public threat, security risk, or is incompatible with Western civilization.
Earlier this year, Trump announced a ban on visas for citizens of 12 countries and restrictions for citizens of seven more. Additionally, he has placed additional restrictions on year-round travel to the US.
What we know is as follows.
What has the Trump administration said?
Trump referred to the shooting of the National Guard members as “an act of terror” after Rahmanaullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, 29, was detained and named as the suspect on Wednesday.
He stated in a statement to the media on Wednesday night, “We must now re-examine every single alien who has en route from Afghanistan under the leadership of Biden.”
Early on Thursday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an indefinite immediate suspension “of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals”.
The president’s “at the direction” of USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, who later added on X, had mandated “a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern.”
The American people will not have to bear the cost of the previous administration’s careless resettlement policies, according to Edlow, who emphasized that the protection of this nation and the American people is still important.
Edlow’s office told US media that the countries for which citizens with green cards will be reviewed would be those on the Trump administration’s June travel ban list.
The Trump administration announced that 19 nations would face full travel bans or partial restrictions in order to “protect the United States from foreign terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety threats” in June.
Afghanistan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen are the nations with the most severe restrictions. Those with a partial ban in place – some temporary visas are still allowed – are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
On Thursday night, Trump said on Truth Social he would introduce a “permanent pause” on immigration from all “Third World Countries”.
What does an immigration “permanent pause” mean?
It’s not clear.
“In ordinary English, ‘ permanent pause ‘ sounds final, but under immigration law, the term has no defined meaning”, Abhishek Saxena, a New Delhi-based advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India who also handles international immigration consultations, told Al Jazeera.
“Practically speaking, a permanent pause” is not a legally irreversible condition but rather an open-ended restriction with no end date,” he continued.
The president may halt immigration for a fixed time, indefinitely, or until the president changes or repeals the proclamation under the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This can, however, be challenged. According to Saxena, “any indefinite pause that violates laws passed by US Congress may be challenged in a court.”
The Trump administration’s vagueness regarding who these policies are and what he means by “permanently pause” or “Third World” is intentional, according to Roberto Forin, acting director of the Geneva-based Mixed Migration Center (MMC).
“Keeping it undefined allows the administration to indiscriminately intimidate migrant communities in the US and around the world, while giving itself the prerogative to use this ban as another tool in its transactional approach to foreign policy”, Forin told Al Jazeera.
He said, “I would anticipate the ban to disproportionately affect poorer nations while sparing those who can offer something in return, such as natural resources or other strategic benefits.”
Regardless of the practical implementation and eventual legal outcomes, he continued, “the purpose of these announcements is to signal toughness, shift the narrative, instill fear, and dehumanize migrants.”
How will people from such countries who are already living in the US be affected?
Before the names of the nations are listed and the immigration measure is put into effect, it’s unclear how people from those nations will be impacted.
However, a report from the American Immigration Council in Washington, D.C., in August found that residents of the 12 nations on Trump’s full travel ban list will not be able to see their relatives living abroad.
“Under the June order, existing visas cannot be revoked, but those who need to leave the United States and renew their visas after they expire could be subjected to the ban instead of being allowed to return”, the report said.
According to Saxena, a restrictive immigration law has other, indirect effects on US citizens.
“First of all, it will enable more thorough examination of pending applications. USCIS may subject applications from nationals of the affected countries to added background checks, longer security screening, or temporary holds”, he said.
Second, he noted that “visa] processing times frequently increase when a country is placed under heightened security review,” according to history.
The government may audit previous immigration filings for fraud, misrepresentation, security concerns, or ineligibility under existing statutes, he added.
Saxena said Trump’s announcement that he will pause immigration from “Third World Countries” would also likely prevent spouses, children, and parents who are abroad from entering the US until the proclamation is lifted.
He claimed that this causes extended family separations, delays in family-based immigration petitions, and the suspension of family reunification initiatives.
“People who are already residing in the US cannot be separated from their families simply because a nation is mentioned in a proclamation,” the statement continued. Family-unity principles under the Constitution and the INA apply once a person is inside US territory”, he added.
What happens if you have a green card?
The Trump administration announced to journalists on Thursday that it would re-examine all green cards held by citizens of nations listed on the travel ban list for June 2025. However, it is not clear how the process will work or whether green cards could be revoked or even cancelled.
A green card is a form of immigration that grants an immigrant permanent residence and employment in the US.
If there are serious grounds, such as being found guilty of grievous crimes like murder or rape, US immigration judges have the authority to revoke green cards and deport citizens from the country.
The government can also deport an immigrant on these grounds, including if they consider the person “a threat to public safety or if the person violates their visa”.
However, Saxena claims that the government is unable to revoke green cards without first undergoing a fair process. Any revocation must adhere to stringent statutory standards and comply with the law.
Last year, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency detained pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil on the “basis of his speech” while he was protesting against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza at Columbia University. Khalil was a permanent resident of the time, but ICE accused him of omitting information from his application for a green card.
A US immigration judge issued a deportation order for Khalil to Algeria or Syria in September, but nothing has yet been done.
What other steps has Trump taken this , year to restrict immigration?
Trump also temporarily frozen refugee admissions shortly after taking office in January, along with re-examinations of green cards and announcing travel bans for citizens of some specific nations.
In a statement released in January, the White House stated that “the United States lacks the capacity to absorb a large number of immigrants, and particularly refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, protects their safety and security, and ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees.”
Then, at the end of October, the Trump administration announced the lowest refugee admission cap in the country’s history, limiting entry to just 7, 500 people for the fiscal year 2026.
The Trump administration ordered a review of all refugees who were permitted into the country under the previous Joe Biden administration on November 25 and advised that their applications for permanent residency be rescheduled.
The status and applications of about 233, 000 refugees who entered the US between January 20, 2021 and February 20, 2025 would be reviewed, according to the memo, which was reportedly signed by USCIS chief Eldow. The memo cited Trump’s January order on freezing refugee admissions due to national security as a reason.
Additionally, the US has reduced refugees’ foreign aid in the host nation.
In an effort to safeguard US citizens’ jobs, the Trump administration has also targeted skilled migrant workers. In September, it increased the application fee for H-1B visas to $100, 000 per application. Businesses in the US employing workers from abroad use the visa.
The Trump administration’s response to the increase in visa applications was alleged to be harmful to businesses in a lawsuit filed by the US Chamber of Commerce in October. The case is pending in the Washington, DC district court.
What does the general situation of refugees mean?
Together, these measures, especially those that cause a “race to the bottom” among governments, could have wacky effects globally, including in nations already rife with conflict and violence, Forin said.
“We see this happening in Europe as well, from the system the UK has tried to establish to outsource asylum procedures to Rwanda, to the centres Italy tried to set up in Albania, and none of these have worked, because they were blocked by courts at every step”.
