Washington, November 28, 2025: Pakistanis seeking to immigrate to the United States or currently in the process will face stricter scrutiny as President Donald Trump announced a “permanent pause” on immigration from what he termed “third world countries,” following a fatal shooting involving a man of Afghan origin.
The policy shift came hours after 29-year-old Rahmanullah Laknawal, reportedly of Afghan origin, shot and killed 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Backstrom and critically injured Andrew Wolfe. The attack prompted immediate and sweeping immigration pronouncements from the president.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, President Trump accused the previous Biden administration of allowing immigrants into the country without “proper screening.”
“I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover,” Trump wrote. He further vowed to “terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen.”
Following the president’s remarks, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow announced that green card holders from 19 countries will undergo audits.
The list includes Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Venezuela, and several other African and Asian states.
Pakistan is not on the audit list, according to Edlow’s statement on X (formerly Twitter).
President Trump also signaled additional punitive measures, including:
- Ending federal benefits for all non-citizens who fall under the new restrictions.
- Revoking citizenship of immigrants deemed a “threat” to the United States.
- Deporting individuals who “do not align with Western civilisation.”
The announcement has sparked concern among immigrant communities, legal experts, and human rights groups, who warn that broad, vaguely defined criteria could lead to sweeping enforcement actions and legal challenges.
More updates are expected as federal agencies begin implementing the newly announced directives.
