Trump says he want to ‘permanently pause’ migration to the US from poorer countries

President Trump has called for a “permanent pause” on migration from less developed nations and threatened to expel millions of legal immigrants from the United States, citing what he describes as “social dysfunction” across America.

The president’s heightened anti-immigration rhetoric came in the wake of Wednesday’s shooting of two National Guard members patrolling Washington D.C. under his orders. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries, while Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.

Authorities have charged Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked with the CIA during the Afghanistan War. Lakanwal had entered the U.S. through a program designed to resettle Afghans who assisted American forces following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform Thursday night, Trump blamed immigrants for a range of societal problems including crime and housing shortages, despite substantial research contradicting these claims.

“Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation,” Trump wrote, adding: “You won’t be here for long!” The White House’s rapid response account described it as “one of the most important messages ever released by President Trump.”

Trump’s proposals include terminating millions of legal admissions approved during the Biden administration, ending federal benefits for non-citizens, denaturalizing people “who undermine domestic tranquility,” and deporting foreign nationals deemed “non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

Immigration enforcement has already intensified under Trump’s administration, with raids disrupting communities across the country, particularly at construction sites and schools. Economic experts warn that expanded deportations could have serious consequences for the American economy, as foreign-born workers fill nearly 31 million jobs nationwide, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The president’s assertions that immigrants drive crime rates higher stand in contrast to academic research. A review published in the Annual Review of Criminology last year concluded that “with few exceptions, studies conducted at both the aggregate and individual levels demonstrate that high concentrations of immigrants are not associated with increased levels of crime and delinquency across neighborhoods and cities in the United States.”

Further undermining Trump’s claims, a 2023 economic study found immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than U.S.-born citizens, noting that immigrants have consistently shown lower imprisonment rates for 150 years.

Following Wednesday’s shooting, Trump called for reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who entered under the Biden administration. Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, subsequently announced additional screening measures for people from 19 unspecified “high-risk” countries. This follows the administration’s June decision to ban travel from 12 countries and restrict access from seven others, citing national security concerns.

When asked by a reporter if he blamed the shootings on all Afghans in the U.S., Trump responded: “No, but we’ve had a lot of problems with Afghans.”

Immigration advocates warn that Trump’s escalating rhetoric and policies represent a fundamental shift away from America’s historical identity as a nation welcoming to immigrants. His proposed mass deportation of legal residents would be unprecedented in modern American history and faces likely legal challenges on constitutional grounds.

The president’s immigration agenda has become increasingly central to his domestic policy as he approaches the midpoint of his term, consolidating support among his base while drawing sharp criticism from civil rights organizations, business groups concerned about workforce impacts, and immigrant communities across the country.