US shooting: Trump to permanently pause migration from Third World Countries
Hours after the shooting incident, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the immediate and indefinite suspension of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals. The alleged gunman was reportedly granted asylum this year under Trump.
New Delhi: After pausing immigration from Afghanistan over the Washington DC shooting, US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that his administration will work to "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries" to allow what he called the American system to "fully recover."
In a lengthy social media post, he said that the move is aimed at achieving a "major reduction in illegal and disruptive populations, including those admitted through an unauthorised and illegal Autopen approval process." This comes after an Afghan national opened fire at two National Guard members in Washington DC on Wednesday.
US to review Green Card holders of 19 countries
The Trump administration has also ordered a review of all Green Cards issued to people from 19 countries. It further directed a widespread review of asylum cases approved under former President Joe Biden.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services on Thursday said the Trump administration directed a "full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern". USCIS director Joseph Edlow, however, did not mention the countries. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security officials said that a review of all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration has also been ordered.
Will Indians be affected by Green Card crackdown
According to officials, the list of 19 countries matches those nations whose nationals were banned from entering the US in June by the Trump administration. The countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Laos, Togo, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Cuba, Venezuela and Turkmenistan. India is not on this list.
Washington shooting
An Afghanistan national, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly shot at two National Guard members -- Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe, 24 -— on Wednesday. One of them succumbed to injuries on Thursday. Hours after the shooting incident, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the immediate and indefinite suspension of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals. The alleged gunman was reportedly granted asylum this year under Trump.
He had allegedly entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, an initiative launched by then President Biden after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan