Trump Says U.S. Has Halted Immigration from Afghanistan and Other ‘Third-World’ Countries

U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump said his administration has suspended immigration from Afghanistan and several other “third-world” countries, renewing his hard-line stance on border and security policies.

U.S. President Donald Trump described countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti and Somalia as “hellholes” during a rally in Pennsylvania, reiterating his claim that his administration has halted immigration from what he labelled “third-world nations.” Trump said he would prefer the United States to accept migrants from countries like Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

The list of affected nations includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

His comments came days after the administration announced a freeze on all immigration applications, including green-card and citizenship filings, from nationals of Afghanistan and 18 other non-European states. The move echoes earlier restrictions implemented during Trump’s first term that targeted several Muslim-majority and African countries.

A government notice explaining the new policy cited November’s attack on members of the U.S. National Guard in Washington. Authorities have detained 29-year-old Afghan asylum seeker Rahmanullah Lakanwal as the primary suspect. Officials said Lakanwal had been granted asylum in April before allegedly carrying out the assault, which left one soldier dead and another wounded, according to U.S. media reports.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has moved swiftly to reinstate and expand hard-line immigration restrictions, arguing they are needed to protect national security. The administration has ordered wider background checks, broader visa suspensions and tougher vetting for nationals of countries considered high-risk.

The renewed measures have drawn criticism from immigrant-rights groups and legal advocates, who say the policy disproportionately targets vulnerable asylum seekers, including Afghans who fled conflict and Taliban rule. Several civil-liberties organisations have called for congressional oversight, warning that the sharp escalation in immigration enforcement could violate due-process protections.

The post Trump Says U.S. Has Halted Immigration from Afghanistan and Other ‘Third-World’ Countries appeared first on Khaama Press.