{"id":3708,"date":"2025-11-28T15:37:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T15:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=3708"},"modified":"2025-11-28T15:37:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T15:37:04","slug":"trump-pauses-immigration-from-third-world-countries-what-that-means-donald-trump-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=3708","title":{"rendered":"Trump pauses immigration from \u2018Third World\u2019 countries: What that means | Donald Trump News"},"content":{"rendered":"


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United States President Donald Trump has sharply escalated his crackdown on immigration with an announcement of a \u201cpermanent pause\u201d on migration from \u201call Third World Countries\u201d late on Thursday.<\/p>\n

The president\u2019s remarks came a day after two National Guard members were shot \u2013 one of whom has since died from her injuries \u2013 in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. An Afghan national has been named as the primary suspect.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions,\u201d Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.<\/p>\n

He did not specify what \u201cthird world\u201d means and did not name any countries. But the phrase \u201cthird world\u201d generally refers to Global South countries that are economically still developing or economically disadvantaged.<\/p>\n

He also said \u201canyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country\u201d, will be removed from the US.<\/p>\n

Trump added that all federal benefits and subsidies to \u201cnoncitizens\u201d will end, and he will \u201cdenaturalise migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity, and deport any foreign national who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western civilisation\u201d.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Trump announced a ban on visas for citizens of 12 countries and restrictions for citizens of seven more. He has also introduced other restrictions on travel to the US throughout the year.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we know.<\/p>\n

What has the Trump administration said?<\/h2>\n

After Rahmanaullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, was arrested and named as the suspect in the shooting of the National Guard members on Wednesday, Trump called the shooting \u201can act of terror\u201d.<\/p>\n

In an address to the media on Wednesday night, he said: \u201cWe must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.\u201d<\/p>\n

Early on Thursday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an indefinite immediate suspension \u201cof all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols. <\/p>\n

The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 USCIS (@USCIS) November 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow then added on X that, \u201cat the direction\u201d of the president, he had ordered \u201ca full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration\u2019s reckless resettlement policies,\u201d Edlow said.<\/p>\n

Edlow\u2019s office told US media that the countries for which citizens with green cards will be reviewed would be those on the Trump administration\u2019s June travel ban list.<\/p>\n

In June, to \u201cprotect the United States from foreign terrorists and other National security and public safety threats\u201d, the Trump administration announced that foreign nationals from 19 countries would face a full travel ban or partial restrictions.<\/p>\n

Countries with a full ban in place are Afghanistan, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Those with a partial ban in place \u2013 some temporary visas are still allowed \u2013 are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.<\/p>\n

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At the direction of @POTUS<\/a>, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.<\/p>\n

\u2014 USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow (@USCISJoe) November 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

On Thursday night, Trump said on Truth Social he would introduce a \u201cpermanent pause\u201d on immigration from all \u201cThird World Countries\u201d.<\/p>\n

What does a \u2018permanent pause\u2019 in immigration mean?<\/h2>\n

It is unclear.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn ordinary English, \u2018permanent pause\u2019 sounds final, but under immigration law, the term has no defined meaning,\u201d Abhishek Saxena, a New Delhi-based advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India who also handles international immigration consultations, told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n

\u201cPractically, \u2018permanent pause\u2019 typically means an open-ended restriction with no stated end date, but not a legally irreversible condition,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

According to the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the president may suspend the entry of immigrants for a fixed period, indefinitely or until the president modifies or lifts the proclamation. This can, however, be challenged. \u201cIf any indefinite pause is violating laws passed by US Congress, then such ban or pause can be challenged in a court,\u201d said Saxena.<\/p>\n

Roberto Forin, acting director of the Geneva-based Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), said the Trump administration\u2019s vagueness over who these policies apply to and what he means by \u201cpermanently pause\u201d or \u201cThird World\u201d is intentional.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeeping 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,\u201d Forin told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would expect the ban to disproportionately affect poorer countries, while sparing those that can offer something in exchange, such as natural resources or other strategic benefits,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe objective of such announcements is to signal toughness, shift the narrative, instil fear and dehumanise migrants \u2013 regardless of the practical implementation and eventual legal outcomes,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

How will people from such countries who are already living in the US be affected?<\/h2>\n

It is unclear how people from those countries will be affected until the names of the countries are listed and the immigration measure is implemented.<\/p>\n

However, an August report by the Washington, DC-based American Immigration Council concluded that people from the 12 countries on Trump\u2019s June 2025 full travel ban list will \u201cnot be able to see family members living abroad\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder 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,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n

Saxena said a restrictive immigration policy can indirectly affect people in the US in several other ways as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirstly, it will lead to increased scrutiny of pending applications. USCIS may subject applications from nationals of the affected countries to added background checks, longer security screening, or temporary holds,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSecondly, history shows that when a country is placed under heightened security review, [visa] processing times frequently increase,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cLastly, although the government cannot revoke existing residency statuses arbitrarily, it may audit past immigration filings for fraud, misrepresentation, security concerns, or ineligibility under existing statutes,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Saxena said Trump\u2019s announcement that he will pause immigration from \u201cThird World Countries\u201d would also likely prevent spouses, children, and parents who are abroad from entering the US until the proclamation is lifted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis creates long-distance separations, delays in family-based immigration petitions and interruption of family reunification programmes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, people already inside the US cannot be separated from their families merely because a country is listed in a proclamation. Family-unity principles under the Constitution and the INA apply once a person is inside US territory,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

What if you have a green card?<\/h2>\n

On Thursday, the Trump administration told journalists that it intends to re-examine all green cards held by people from the countries on the June 2025 travel ban list. However, it is not clear how the process will work or whether green cards could be revoked or even cancelled.<\/p>\n

A green card is a US immigration document which allows an immigrant to permanently reside and work in the country.<\/p>\n

US immigration judges have the power to revoke green cards and to deport people from the country if there are serious grounds, such as being found guilty of grievous crimes like murder or rape.<\/p>\n

The government can also deport<\/a> an immigrant on these grounds, including if they consider the person \u201ca threat to public safety or if the person violates their visa\u201d.<\/p>\n

However, according to Saxena, the government \u201chas no legal authority to revoke green cards without following due process. Any revocation must follow strict statutory procedures and satisfy due-process requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency detained pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil on the \u201cbasis of his speech\u201d while he was protesting against Israel\u2019s genocidal war on Gaza at Columbia University. Khalil was a permanent US resident at the time, but ICE accused him of omitting information on his green card application.<\/p>\n

In September, a US immigration judge ordered that Khalil should be deported to Algeria or Syria, but this has not yet happened.<\/p>\n

What other steps has Trump taken this\u00a0year to restrict immigration?<\/h2>\n

Besides green card re-examinations and announcing travel bans on citizens of some specific countries, Trump also froze refugee admissions shortly after he resumed office in January.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees,\u201d the White House said in a statement in January.<\/p>\n

Then, at the end of October, the Trump administration announced the lowest refugee admission cap in the country\u2019s history, limiting entry to just 7,500 people for the fiscal year 2026.<\/p>\n

On November 25, according to a memo seen by the Reuters news agency, the Trump administration ordered a review of all refugees allowed into the country under the previous Joe Biden administration, and recommended that their permanent residency applications be paused.<\/p>\n

According to the memo, which was reportedly signed by USCIS chief Eldow, the status and applications of about 233,000 refugees who entered the US between January 20, 2021 and February 20, 2025, would be reviewed. The memo cited Trump\u2019s January order on freezing refugee admissions due to national security as a reason.<\/p>\n

The US has also cut foreign aid for refugees in host countries.<\/p>\n

The Trump administration has also targeted skilled migrant workers in an effort to protect US citizens\u2019 jobs. In September, it increased the application fee for H-1B visas to $100,000 per application. The visa is used by companies in the US hiring overseas workers.<\/p>\n

In October, the US Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for the visa application fee rise, claiming it could harm businesses. The case is pending in the Washington, DC district court.<\/p>\n

What does this mean for refugees generally?<\/h2>\n

\u201cTaken together, these measures, especially if they trigger a \u2018race to the bottom\u2019 among governments, could have devastating consequences globally, including in countries already ravaged by conflict and violence,\u201d Forin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, they have all contributed to the dehumanisation of refugees and migrants, depicting them simply as a threat or a burden, rather than as human beings in need of protection or deserving of a chance at a better future,\u201d Forin added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n