Trump Promises to Expel Millions of Immigrants After Shooting Incident

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump announced on Thursday his intention to “permanently pause migration” from poorer nations, stating he will seek to expel millions of immigrants by revoking their legal status. This announcement followed a shooting incident involving two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.

One guard member, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died, while Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, is fighting for his life in critical condition. The shooter, identified as 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is currently in custody and had previously come to the U.S. under a resettlement program aimed at individuals who aided American forces during the Afghanistan War.

In a lengthy post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump blamed immigrants for various societal problems, stating that “only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation.” He stated that the arrival of immigrants from certain nations contributes to crime and “social dysfunction” in America.

Trump’s remarks marked a significant escalation in his anti-immigration stance since regaining office earlier this year. He emphasized that the government would review the legal status of millions of immigrants and seek to end federal benefits for those not born in the U.S. He also suggested deporting individuals deemed “non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

Despite Trump’s claims, multiple studies indicate immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S. citizens. According to research from the Annual Review of Criminology, high concentrations of immigrants do not correlate with increased crime rates in U.S. neighborhoods.

His statements have raised concerns among advocates for immigrant rights, who argue that Trump’s policies could further damage America’s economy, which relies on nearly 31 million jobs held by foreign-born workers. Some administration officials have already promised to reexamine immigrant statuses as part of a broader campaign to reduce the foreign-born population.

On Wednesday, Trump called for a reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees admitted under former President Joe Biden, reflecting a growing tension surrounding immigration policies. The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, announced that the agency would conduct additional screening for immigrants from 19 high-risk countries.

Following the shooting, Trump was asked by reporters if he blamed all Afghan immigrants for the incident, to which he responded, “No, but we’ve had a lot of problems with Afghans.” Trump’s comments are part of a broader narrative as he positions himself ahead of the upcoming presidential election.