President Trump announced a potential long-term halt on asylum processing and discussed revoking citizenship from naturalized immigrants with criminal records during a recent press conference aboard Air Force One.
President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that his administration’s freeze on asylum processing could extend for an indefinite period. This announcement follows a tragic incident involving the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. Trump also suggested he might pursue the authority to revoke citizenship from certain naturalized immigrants who have criminal histories.
While the administration has characterized the asylum freeze as an emergency response to the recent shooting, Trump’s remarks indicate that these restrictions could become a more permanent fixture of his immigration policy. He linked the pause in asylum processing to a tougher stance against 19 nations he described as “crime-ridden.”
During his comments, Trump asserted that he would “absolutely” seek to de-naturalize immigrants convicted of crimes, contingent upon whether he possesses the presidential authority to do so. “We have enough problems. We don’t want those people,” he stated, emphasizing that there is no set time limit for the moratorium on asylum processing.
“We have criminals that came into our country and they were naturalized,” Trump continued. “If I have the power to do it – I’m not sure that I do, but if I do – I would de-naturalize. Absolutely.”
Trump also clarified his recent mention of “reverse migration,” explaining that it refers to the removal of individuals already residing in the United States. “Get people out that are in our country – get them out of here,” he said.
The comments come in the wake of a shooting incident involving Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, who has been charged with the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House. U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the attack, while her colleague, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition. Both service members were deployed to D.C. as part of Trump’s initiative to combat crime, which included federalizing local police forces.
In light of the incident, Trump stated that he has invited the families of both Guard members to the White House. “I said, ‘When you’re ready, because that’s a tough thing, come to the White House. We’re going to honor Sarah,” he told reporters. “And likewise with Andrew, recover or not.”
Lakanwal faces serious charges, including first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. These charges have prompted the Trump administration to halt all asylum decisions and pause the issuance of visas for individuals traveling on Afghan passports.
As the situation develops, the implications of Trump’s comments on immigration policy and the administration’s approach to asylum seekers remain to be seen.
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