Trump defends asylum freeze after Afghan shooter arrest in DC Guard attack — ‘Got to get bad people out’

US President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his administration’s indefinite halt on asylum decisions, saying the pause carries “no time limit” and could stretch for “a long time,” as the White House intensifies its response to last week’s shooting of National Guard members in Washington, DC.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal—an Afghan national who arrived in the US in 2021 and received asylum under the current administration earlier this year—has become a central figure in Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown on immigration.

What did Donald Trump say about stopping asylum decisions?

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump made clear that the freeze on asylum processing would remain in place indefinitely.

“We don’t want those people. We have enough problems,” he said, underscoring the administration’s shift toward extreme restriction.

Pressed to clarify his remarks about “those people,” the president responded: “The people from different countries that are not friendly to us and countries that are out of control themselves.”

Although Trump did not elaborate on the number of countries targeted, he said it is likely more than 19.

Donald Trump continued with sweeping criticism of these nations: “I don’t think they are all Third World, but in many cases, they are Third World. They are not good countries. They are crime-ridden countries. They’re countries that don’t do a good job.”

Trump added, “They are countries that don't register from a standpoint of success. We frankly don’t need their people coming into our country telling us what to do.”

Why is Donald Trump linking the asylum pause to Washington DC National Guard shooting?

The policy shift comes days after the arrest of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who allegedly opened fire on National Guard personnel in Washington on 26 November. He arrived in the United States following the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan and applied for asylum in 2024, which the Trump administration approved in April 2025.

The attack has fuelled Donald Trump’s long-standing efforts to overhaul immigration systems, with the president portraying the shooting as evidence of systemic failure.

The administration is framing the incident as justification for expansive new restrictions, including potential reversals of previously granted protections.

Trump posted on Truth Social, 'We’ve got to get BAD PEOPLE out of our Country, and FAST. What the Biden Administration, and a Rigged Election, did to the United States of America must never be forgotten. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

How long will the asylum freeze last?

When asked about the duration of the pause on asylum, Donald Trump said that it would be for a long time since "most of them are no good".

"For a long time. No time limit. We don't want those people. We have enough problems. You know why? Because many of them are no good and they shouldn't be in our country," he added.

Did Donald Trump target Rep Ilhan Omar during the remarks?

During the same conversation with reporters, Trump pivoted to attacking Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, the first Somali American elected to Congress and a refugee who settled in the US more than twenty years ago.

He has frequently cited Somalia as an example of what he considers an unsuitable origin country for migrants, and his latest comments appear to extend that long-running line of attack.

What did Donald Trump say about denaturalising US citizens?

Trump also reignited controversy over his earlier threat to revoke citizenship from some Americans, suggesting he is prepared to pursue such actions if legally permissible.

“If I have the power to do it, I’m not sure that I do, but if I do, I would denaturalize, absolutely,” he said.

The statement marks one of Trump’s strongest endorsements yet of using denaturalisation as a tool of immigration enforcement—a practice that legal scholars warn could have profound constitutional implications.