A surprise decision to suspend asylum decisions
US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his administration intends to maintain a temporary suspension of asylum decisions "for a long time," a move that comes as a direct response to a shooting by an Afghan national near the White House that killed a National Guard member. When asked if there was a specific timeframe for this measure, Trump confirmed that he had not set a "time limit," indicating that the decision is aimed at protecting US national security. Trump added, "We don't want these people. You know why we don't want them? Because many of them were not good, and they shouldn't have been in our country.".
Historical background of immigration policies under Trump
This decision reflects the hardline approach Donald Trump has adopted toward immigration and asylum issues since his first term in office. During his previous administration, Trump implemented highly controversial policies, most notably the executive order known as the "travel ban," which targeted citizens of several Muslim-majority countries, and the "remain in Mexico" policy, which forced asylum seekers to await their cases outside the United States. Trump has consistently linked immigration to national security threats, using harsh language to describe the challenges at the border. This makes his latest decision consistent with his rhetoric and past policies, which have focused on restricting access to the U.S. asylum system.
Details of the incident that sparked the crisis
This stern comment came in the wake of the November 26 shooting in Washington, D.C., in which Rahmanullah Lakkanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, opened fire on two National Guard members. The attack killed 20-year-old Sara Beckstrom and seriously wounded her colleague. Investigations revealed that Lakkanwal had been part of a CIA-backed “partner force” in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban and had entered the United States through a resettlement program following the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal. Although Lakkanwal was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration, administration officials blamed what they described as lax vetting procedures during the administration of former President Joe Biden.
Dimensions and potential impacts of the decision
This decision is expected to have far-reaching consequences both domestically and internationally. Domestically, it will directly affect thousands of asylum seekers awaiting decisions on their cases and may face significant legal challenges from human rights and civil liberties organizations, which consider it a violation of international humanitarian law. Internationally, this measure could further strain relations between the United States and its allies, as well as with international organizations such as the United Nations. The Department of Homeland Security indicated that the decision is linked to a list of 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, and Iran, whose citizens already face travel restrictions, thus placing additional pressure on these countries and exacerbating regional humanitarian crises.
