U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday ignited a new wave of controversy after announcing that his administration will “permanently pause” migration from all so-called “Third World Countries.” The declaration came hours after a National Guard member was killed in an attack near the White House — an incident investigators linked to an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement programme.
Trump did not specify which nations fall under the “Third World” category, nor did he clarify what a “permanent pause” would look like in practical terms. Still, he insisted the plan would roll back cases approved under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
“I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions… and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States,” he posted on Truth Social.
He went further, saying he would end all federal benefits for “non-citizens,” denaturalise immigrants deemed threats to “domestic tranquillity,” and deport anyone considered a public charge, a security risk, or “non-compatible with Western civilisation.”
Both the White House and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services stayed silent, offering no immediate response to questions from Reuters.
Trump’s comments follow the killing of 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom during the ambush. Another Guardsman, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, is reportedly “fighting for his life,” according to the President.
The announcement has already triggered heated reactions across political, diplomatic, and human rights circles — with many awaiting clearer details on how the policy would be enforced and what it means for millions of migrants around the world.