US President Donald Trump has announced tougher immigration measures after the attack on a National Guard officer in Washington DC.
Trump said he was “permanently suspending” immigration from all “Third World” countries, while also ordering immediate audits of green card holders from 19 countries.
The announcement comes after an incident in which 29-year-old Afghan-born Rahmanullah Lakhanwal is accused of shooting two US National Guardsmen. As a result of the attack, 20-year-old Sarah Backstrom was killed and another officer was seriously injured.
In his harsh statement, Trump criticized former President Joe Biden, alleging that refugees entered the United States without thorough vetting during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
During a press conference, when a reporter asked him if the attacker had received a visa during the Trump era, Trump dismissed the reporter as an “idiot.”
President Trump announced that he would end federal benefits for all non-citizens, revoke the citizenship of immigrants deemed a threat to the United States, and deport anyone who is “incompatible with Western civilization.”
A full security audit of green card holders from 19 countries will be a “rigorous and comprehensive process,” according to US officials. The affected countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Venezuela and many African and Asian states.
After the incident, the debate on security and immigration policies in the country has intensified, while the condition of injured officer Andrew Wolf is said to be critical.
