…says United States would “permanently pause” migration to allow the system to fully recover.
Washington DC, United States — The iNews Times | US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose a total suspension of migration from what he described as “Third World Countries,” following the fatal shooting of a National Guard member in the nation’s capital by an Afghan national. The announcement marks a sharp escalation in an already aggressive anti-migration agenda that has shaped much of Trump’s second term.
Trump, visibly angered, said the United States would “permanently pause” migration to allow the system “to fully recover,” while also threatening to reverse “millions” of admissions granted during the administration of his predecessor, Joe Biden. The declaration came hours after he confirmed the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, a West Virginia National Guard soldier deployed to Washington as part of Trump’s expanded anti-crime operations.
The FBI has launched an international terror investigation into the alleged attacker, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who had once served alongside US forces in Afghanistan. Officials described the Wednesday shooting as an “ambush-style” assault that now sits at the intersection of three highly charged political themes: Trump’s domestic deployment of troops, America’s immigration policies, and the lingering fallout of the long US war in Afghanistan.
In a statement posted online, Trump claimed the shooting vindicated his decision to send hundreds of National Guard personnel into Washington. “If they weren’t effective, you probably wouldn’t have had this done,” he said, before adding, “Maybe this man was upset because he couldn’t practice crime.”
USCIS director Joseph Edlow announced a sweeping review of all active Green Cards belonging to individuals from what he called “countries of concern.” His agency highlighted a list of 19 nations, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran and Myanmar that had been subject to earlier travel restrictions under a June order from Trump. The administration has also halted processing of all immigration applications originating from Afghanistan.
The other soldier shot in the attack, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, was said to be “fighting for his life” on Thursday, while the suspected shooter remained in critical condition. US Attorney for Washington DC, Jeanine Pirro, disclosed that Lakanwal had been living in Washington State and drove across the country before opening fire with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver just blocks from the White House. Pirro described the attack as “brazen and targeted,” noting that charges would be raised to first-degree murder should Wolfe succumb to his injuries.
Officials have yet to identify the motive behind the shooting. CIA director John Ratcliffe stated that the suspect had been part of a CIA-backed partner force during the war in Afghanistan and was later resettled in the US through an evacuation program. Senior figures within the FBI, CIA and Homeland Security argued that he entered the country under “lax” policies following Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
However, AfghanEvac, a group involved in the relocation of Afghan allies countered the claim, stating that evacuees undergo “some of the most extensive security vetting” of any migrant group. The organisation said Lakanwal had been granted asylum in April 2025 under the current administration and would have been eligible for permanent residency a year later. “This individual’s isolated and violent act should not be used to define or diminish an entire community,” said its president, Shawn VanDiver.
In the aftermath of the attack, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered an additional 500 troops to Washington, raising the city’s deployment to 2,500. Trump has expanded troop deployments to several Democrat-led cities including Washington, Los Angeles and Memphis, a move that has already triggered multiple lawsuits and renewed accusations of authoritarian overreach.
