President Donald Trump sharply escalated his crackdown on immigration late Thursday, announcing a “permanent suspension” of immigration from “all Third World countries.”
The president’s remarks came a day after two National Guard members were shot and killed in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday (one succumbed to his injuries). An Afghan national was named as the prime suspect.
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In a post on his Truth Social platform, President Trump said he would “permanently halt immigration from all third world countries to fully restore America and end all of Mr. Biden’s millions of illegal immigrants.”
He did not specify what he meant by “Third World” and did not name any countries. However, the term “Third World” generally refers to countries in the Global South that are still economically developing or economically disadvantaged.
He also said that anyone who is “not a net asset to the United States or incapable of loving our country” will be removed from the United States.
Trump added that all federal benefits and subsidies for “noncitizens” will end, “we will denaturalize immigrants who are a threat to domestic tranquility, and we will deport foreign nationals who pose a public crime, a national security risk, or are incompatible with Western civilization.”
Earlier this year, President Trump banned visas for citizens of 12 countries and announced visa restrictions for citizens of seven additional countries. He also introduced other restrictions on travel to the United States throughout the year.
Here’s what we know:
What did the Trump administration say?
After the arrest of Afghan national Rahmanaullah Rakanwar, 29, as a suspect in the National Guard shooting on Wednesday, President Trump called the shooting an “act of terrorism.”
“Under the Biden administration, we must now retest every foreign national who enters our country from Afghanistan,” he said in a media address Wednesday night.
Early Thursday morning, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it was immediately suspending “all admission applications for Afghan nationals” indefinitely.
Effective immediately, the processing of all entry applications involving Afghan nationals will be suspended indefinitely pending further review of security and screening protocols.
The protection and safety of our homeland and the American people remains our sole focus and…
— USCIS (@USCIS) November 27, 2025
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow then added that he had ordered “a full-fledged and rigorous re-examination of all green cards for all aliens from all countries of concern” “at the direction of the president.”
“Protecting this country and its people remains our top priority, and Americans will not bear the costs of the previous administration’s reckless resettlement policies,” Edlow said.
Edlow’s office told US media that the countries on the Trump administration’s June travel ban list will be considered for green card holders.
In June, the Trump administration announced a full travel ban or partial restrictions on foreign nationals from 19 countries to “protect the United States from foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats.”
Countries with full bans in place include Afghanistan, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Countries with a partial ban in place (some temporary visas are still allowed) are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
At the direction of @POTUS, I have ordered a full and rigorous review of all green cards for all aliens from all countries of concern.
— USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow (@USCISJoe) November 27, 2025
On Thursday night, President Trump said on Truth Social that he would institute a “permanent suspension” on immigration from all “Third World countries.”
What does “permanent suspension” mean at immigration?
It’s unclear.
“While in plain English the term ‘permanent suspension’ sounds final, under immigration law the term has no clear meaning,” Abhishek Saxena, a New Delhi-based lawyer who practices in India’s Supreme Court and also consults on international immigration, told Al Jazeera.
“In practice, ‘permanent suspension’ usually means an indefinite restriction with no specified end date, but it is not a legally irrevocable condition,” he added.
According to the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the president can suspend immigration for a specified period, indefinitely, or until the president modifies or terminates the proclamation. However, this can be challenged. “If an indefinite suspension violates the laws passed by the U.S. Congress, such a ban or suspension can be challenged in court,” Saxena said.
Roberto Folin, acting director of the Geneva-based Mixed Migration Center (MMC), said the Trump administration’s vagueness about who these policies apply to and what “permanent suspension” and “Third World” mean is intentional.
“By leaving it undefined, the regime is able to indiscriminately intimidate immigrant communities in the United States and around the world, while at the same time giving itself the privilege of using this ban as another tool in its transactional approach to foreign policy,” Folin told Al Jazeera.
“We expect this ban to disproportionately impact poorer countries, while sparing those countries that have something to offer in exchange, such as natural resources or other strategic interests.”
“The purpose of announcements like this is to signal a hard line, change the narrative, instill fear and dehumanize migrants, regardless of actual implementation or ultimate legal consequences,” he added.
How will people from such countries already living in the United States be affected?
Until countries are named and immigration measures are implemented, it is unclear how people in those countries will be affected.
But an August report from the Washington, D.C.-based American Immigration Council concluded that people from the 12 countries on President Trump’s June 2025 blanket travel ban list “will not be able to visit family members living abroad.”
“Under the June order, existing visas cannot be revoked, but those who need to leave the United States to renew their visas after they expire may not be allowed to return and may be subject to a ban,” the report states.
Saxena said restrictive immigration policies can indirectly affect people in the United States in several other ways.
“First, there will be increased scrutiny of pending applications. USCIS may subject applications from nationals of affected countries to additional background checks, longer security checks, or temporary holds,” he said.
“Second, history shows that (visa) processing times often increase when a country is placed under increased security scrutiny,” he said.
“Finally, while the government cannot arbitrarily revoke existing immigration status, it may audit past immigration applications for fraud, misrepresentations, security concerns, or ineligibility under existing laws,” he added.
Saxena said President Trump’s announcement to suspend entry from “Third World countries” will likely also prevent spouses, children and parents abroad from entering the United States until the declaration is lifted.
“This results in long-distance separations, delays in family-based immigration applications, and disruption of family reunification programs,” he said.
“However, people already in the United States cannot be separated from their families simply because that country is listed on the proclamation. The family unity principle under the Constitution and INA applies once the person enters the territory of the United States,” he added.
What if I have a green card?
On Thursday, the Trump administration told reporters it intends to reexamine all green cards held by nationals of countries on the June 2025 travel ban list. However, it is unclear how this process works and whether green cards can be revoked or even cancelled.
A green card is a U.S. immigration document that allows immigrants to permanently live and work in the country.
U.S. immigration judges have the power to revoke green cards and deport people for serious reasons, such as convictions for serious crimes such as murder or rape.
The government can also deport immigrants for these reasons, including if the government deems the person to be a “threat to public safety or in violation of a visa.”
However, Saxena said the government “does not have the legal authority to revoke a green card without following due process. Revocation must follow strict legal procedures and meet due process requirements.”
Last year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist who was protesting Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza at Columbia University, “based on his speech.” Mr. Khalil was a permanent resident of the United States at the time, but ICE accused him of omitting information from his green card application.
In September, a US immigration judge ordered Mr Khalil to be deported to either Algeria or Syria, but that has not yet happened.
What other steps has President Trump taken to restrict immigration this year?
In addition to announcing green card reviews and travel bans for citizens of certain countries, President Trump froze refugee admissions shortly after returning to office in January.
“The United States lacks the capacity to admit large numbers of immigrants, particularly refugees, into our communities in a manner that protects the safety and security of our people and ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees without compromising the availability of American resources,” the White House said in a January statement.
Then, in late October, the Trump administration announced the lowest refugee admission cap in the country’s history, capping the number of people entering the country in 2026 to just 7,500.
On November 25, the Trump administration ordered a review of all refugees admitted under President Joe Biden’s administration and recommended a moratorium on green card applications, according to a memo seen by Reuters.
The status and claims of approximately 233,000 refugees who entered the United States between January 20, 2021 and February 20, 2025 will be reviewed, according to a memo purportedly signed by USCIS Director Erdow. The memo cited President Trump’s January order freezing refugee admissions on national security grounds.
The United States has also reduced foreign aid to refugees in host countries.
The Trump administration is also targeting skilled immigrant workers in an effort to protect American jobs. In September, it increased the H-1B visa application fee to $100,000 per application. This visa is used by U.S. companies that hire overseas workers.
In October, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that visa fee hikes could hurt businesses. The lawsuit is pending in the District Court of Washington, DC.
What does this mean for refugees in general?
“Taken together, these measures could have devastating consequences around the world, including in countries already ravaged by conflict and violence, especially if they spark a ‘race to the bottom’ between governments,” Folin said.
“We have seen similar things happen in Europe, from the system Britain tried to set up by outsourcing its asylum process in Rwanda to the center Italy tried to set up in Albania, but none of it worked because it was blocked at every step by the courts.”
“Unfortunately, they all contribute to their dehumanization by portraying refugees and migrants simply as threats and burdens, rather than as human beings in need of protection and deserving of a chance at a better future,” Folin added.
