President Donald Trump has declared that a significant freeze on asylum decisions in the United States will remain in effect for what he describes as "a long time." The President stated he has "no time limit" for lifting this stringent measure, directly linking it to national security concerns.
Deadly Shooting Triggers Policy Shift
The dramatic policy suspension was implemented immediately after a tragic shooting incident near the White House on November 26, 2025. The attack resulted in the death of 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom and left another person critically wounded.
Authorities arrested 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal and charged him with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting. This arrest became the central catalyst for the administration's hardline response.
"We Don't Want Those People": Trump's Stance
In a blunt explanation of the asylum freeze, President Trump left little room for ambiguity. "We don't want those people," he stated. "You know why we don't want them? Because many have been no good, and they shouldn't be in our country."
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that the freeze specifically targets asylum applications from citizens of 19 countries already facing U.S. travel restrictions. The affected nationalities include:
- Afghanistan
- Cuba
- Haiti
- Iran
- Myanmar
These restrictions have been in place since June, but the asylum process is now fully halted.
Background of the Suspect and Political Blame
The case of the alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has become a focal point in the immigration debate. Investigations reveal he entered the U.S. as part of a resettlement program following the American military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Despite having served in a CIA-backed "partner force" against the Taliban, Lakanwal was only granted asylum in April 2025—during the current Trump administration. However, President Trump has placed blame squarely on the previous administration's policies, criticizing what officials termed "lax vetting" during the 2021 Afghan airlift.
This event appears to have accelerated the President's previously signaled intentions. After the shooting, he wrote about plans to "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries" to allow U.S. systems to recover. The current indefinite asylum freeze for the listed 19 nations is viewed as the first major step toward fulfilling that controversial goal.
The policy marks a significant hardening of the U.S. immigration stance, with no clear endpoint in sight, reshaping the asylum landscape for thousands of applicants from the designated countries.
