Today's News: Trump Administration Halts All Asylum Decisions to Ensure Maximum Vetting and Screening
Trump also vowed to “permanently pause migration” from “third world countries” and implement “reverse migration.”
Photo: Paul Ratje for The New York Times
Overview
Date: November 28, 2025
Summary: Following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. by an Afghan national, President Donald Trump has significantly intensified his anti-immigration agenda. His administration has halted all asylum decisions, paused visa issuances for Afghan passport holders, and initiated reviews of green cards for individuals from “high-risk” countries. Trump also vowed to “permanently pause migration” from “third world countries” and implement “reverse migration.” These actions are presented as responses to the shooting and part of a broader effort to reshape the U.S. immigration system, though they have drawn criticism from immigrant advocates and international organizations.
Sources
The New York Times - Trump Pauses All Asylum Applications and Halts Visas for Afghans
CNN - An emboldened Trump escalates his anti-immigration crackdown after National Guard shooting
The Washington Post - U.S. halts all asylum decisions, pauses visas for Afghan nationals
The Wall Street Journal - After D.C. National Guard Shooting, Trump Steps Up Immigration Crackdown
Key Points
The shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, served as the immediate catalyst for President Trump’s escalated immigration policies.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow announced a halt to all asylum decisions to ensure maximum vetting and screening.
The State Department immediately paused visa issuance for individuals traveling on Afghan passports, including the Special Immigrant Visa program.
The administration ordered a “full-scale, rigorous reexamination” of green cards for individuals from 19 “countries of concern,” including Afghanistan.
President Trump stated his intentions to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries,” implement “reverse migration,” and remove individuals deemed “not a net asset” or “non-compatible with Western Civilization.”
Rahmanullah Lakanwal entered the U.S. under “Operation Allies Welcome,” a Biden-era program, in 2021 and was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration. He had also previously worked with U.S. forces or the CIA.
Immigrant advocacy groups and U.N. agencies criticized the new policies, warning against collective punishment and emphasizing the importance of due process and protection under international law.
The administration justified these actions as necessary for national security and public safety, aiming to exert full control over who enters and remains in the country.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times reported that the State Department cable obtained by the newspaper instructed diplomats to destroy printed visas for Afghans and not grant new ones, even if interviews were conducted. The article also quoted Shawn VanDiver of AfghanEvac, stating that the SIV shutdown is a “direct violation of federal law and standing court orders,” and referenced a July 2024 Homeland Security Department inspector general report that found over 1 million asylum cases pending at the end of fiscal year 2023.
CNN highlighted President Trump’s specific quote calling migrants “cuckoo” and “unvetted,” and his expression of openness to deporting the suspect’s wife and children. The article also reported that the administration was already moving to reinterview certain refugees admitted during the Biden administration before the shooting. It mentioned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s announcement that undocumented immigrants would be blocked from receiving federal tax-based benefits. It included a detailed quote from Stephen Miller, arguing against the “great lie of mass migration” and stating, “You are not just importing individuals. You are importing societies.”
NBC News provided a detailed explanation of the term “third world countries,” noting its derogatory and outdated nature according to economists and health experts. It also reported President Trump’s specific claim that “hundreds of thousands” of Somali migrants were “completely taking over the once great state of Minnesota,” along with his attacks on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar.
The Washington Post included an analysis from David Bier of the libertarian Cato Institute, suggesting that pausing affirmative asylum cases might not have an immediate material effect due to existing backlogs, and could be a precursor to blanket denials. It also detailed that Lakanwal had been part of one of the CIA’s “Zero Units,” which carried out missions against extremist groups.
The Wall Street Journal featured a specific quote from a Department of Homeland Security social media post: “The stakes have never been higher, and the goal has never been more clear: Remigration now.” The article also detailed that coming from one of the 19 “high-risk” countries would be considered a “significantly negative factor” for a green-card application, similar to having committed a crime. It discussed the legal challenges involved, stating, “It isn’t clear what legal authority the administration could use to revoke previously approved cases.” Additionally, the article mentioned the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced it would begin monitoring cross-border remittances to catch immigrants in the country illegally.
Fox News quoted Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s specific post on X (formerly Twitter) about pausing visas for Afghan passports, stating, “President Trump’s State Department has paused visa issuance for ALL individuals traveling on Afghan passports. The United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people.” The article also provided a more comprehensive list of the 19 “high-risk” countries, including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, in addition to those listed by other sources.
Contrasting Details
Vetting of Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal:
CNN, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Fox News reported that Lakanwal was vetted by intelligence agencies, counterterrorism authorities, or the CIA and was “clean on all checks” or underwent “thorough vetting.”
Fox News also quoted President Trump saying, “There was no vetting or anything,” directly contradicting its own reporting and that of other news sources.
The Washington Post noted that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem had previously described Lakanwal as “one of the many unvetted, mass paroled into the United States,” which contrasts with the details of his vetting and asylum grant reported elsewhere.
Impact of Asylum Pause:
The Washington Post presented an analysis from David Bier of the Cato Institute, suggesting that the pause on affirmative asylum cases might not have a material effect for most people in the pipeline due to existing backlogs, implying it is more symbolic or a setup for future, stricter policies.
Other sources, including The New York Times, CNN, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, and Fox News, reported the halt as a significant and immediate policy change without elaborating on its practical impact on the substantial backlog of existing cases.
Legality of Actions:
The New York Times and Fox News cited Shawn VanDiver of AfghanEvac, who called the shutdown of the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program a “direct violation of federal law and standing court orders.”
NBC News stated that Trump’s threats, if enacted, “would likely face court challenges.”
The Wall Street Journal questioned the legal authority for revoking previously approved cases unless officials could prove intentional falsehoods or overlooked intelligence.
Other sources reported the policy changes without immediately delving into their potential legal challenges or violations.
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