Despite multiple requests from various United Nations agencies such as the UN human rights office – to allow asylum seekers access, Trump has remained steadfast in his stance.
President Donald Trump invoked Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to substantiate his position regarding pausing immigration from all “third-world countries” on Sunday.
The President is authorized under Section 212(f) to suspend the admission of any specific group of foreign nationals into the U.S., or impose restrictions upon their admission, when it is determined by the President that doing so would be detrimental to the interests of the U.S.
“Whenever the President finds that the entry of any alien or class of aliens into the U.S. would be inconsistent with the interests of the U.S., he may issue a proclamation and for as long as he deems appropriate, suspend the admission of all aliens or any specific class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants.”
Despite multiple requests from various United Nations agencies such as the UN human rights office – to allow asylum seekers access, Trump has remained steadfast in his stance.
In previous posts on X, he also suggested harsher measures, including denaturalising migrants who “jeopardize domestic peace,” eliminating federal benefits for non-citizens, and deporting foreign nationals considered a “public charge, security threat, or incompatible with Western Civilization.”
The executive branch and the federal agency responsible for maintaining public safety have not yet explained how these new policies will be implemented, but they have begun implementing policies consistent with the freeze.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated that asylum officers are instructed to refrain from making decisions until “enhanced vetting is finalized for every applicant,” emphasizing that public safety is the top priority.
Simultaneously, the US State Department, under Secretary Marco Rubio, has halted visa processing for all individuals with Afghan passports.
According to Rubio, the “United States has no greater priority than to protect our country and our citizens; therefore, it is appropriate as a security measure to take such steps.”
The motive behind these actions stems from a shooting incident that occurred near the White House on Wednesday, resulting in two National Guardsmen suffering life-threatening injuries: Spec. Sarah Beckstrom (age 20) died of her injuries; Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe (age 24) remains hospitalized, “fighting for his life,” according to President Trump.
