President Donald Trump mentioned on Sunday that the suspension of asylum processing by his administration, following a recent shooting involving National Guard members, might continue for a “long time.” He also suggested the possibility of revoking citizenship from some naturalized immigrants with criminal backgrounds.
The administration has framed this asylum freeze as an emergency measure after Wednesday’s mass shooting, but Trump’s remarks on Air Force One indicate that these measures might become more permanent.
Trump connected this suspension to his tougher stance on 19 countries he previously labeled as “crime-infested.” He affirmed that he would “absolutely” seek to naturalize immigrants found guilty of crimes if it fell within his presidential authority.
“We have enough problems. We don’t want those people,” Trump stated, implying that this moratorium doesn’t have a clear end point.
He also mentioned, “There are criminals who have come into our country, and they are being naturalized.” Trump further added, “If I had the power to do that — I don’t know if I would, but if I did — I would naturalize. Absolutely.”
Recently, he described his approach as “reverse immigration,” which refers to removing individuals already residing in the United States. “Get the people out of our country, get them out of here,” he asserted.
In related news, Rahmanullah Rakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, was charged with the killings of two West Virginia National Guard soldiers just blocks from the White House.
Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of the U.S. Army Special Forces, was killed, while Andrew Wolfe, 24, from the U.S. Air Force, remains in critical condition. Both were in Washington, D.C. as part of Trump’s initiative to combat crime, which included mobilizing the D.C. police force. Trump stated he had invited the families of both Guardsmen to the White House.
He expressed, “I said, ‘When you’re ready, come to the White House because it’s a big deal. We’re going to honor Sarah,’” adding that Andrew would also be honored, whether or not he recovers.
Rakanwal faces one charge of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, leading the Trump administration to pause all asylum applications and suspend visas for those traveling on Afghan passports.
