NEW DELHI- Days after an Afghan national opened fire at two National Guard members near the White House, US President Donald Trump has said he intends to “permanently pause migration from all Third World countries.”

The proposed move, if implemented, could significantly affect millions seeking entry into the US for education, work, safety or asylum, and may reshape global migration patterns.

In a sharply-worded post on Truth Social on November 27, President Trump stated that while the United States has advanced technologically, immigration policies over the years have weakened the country’s progress and impacted living standards.

He wrote: “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover… and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country, end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country, denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility, and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

According to Trump, the objective behind the policy is to dramatically reduce what he called “illegal and destabilizing populations.” He argued that the only effective long-term solution is what he termed “reverse migration.”

Ending his statement, President Trump wrote: “Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation.

Earlier, US Customs and Immigration Service Director Joseph Edlow said on November 27 that under Trump’s orders, he has “directed a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern”.

India is not on the list of countries of concern, nor are others from South Asia, except for Afghanistan. The actions followed November 26 shooting rampage by Rahmanullah Lakanwal near the White House. One of the National Guard soldiers he shot, Sarah Beckstrom, died on November 27, while the other is in a critical condition in a hospital. Lakanwal, who was injured before his capture, is also in hospital.

Under the broadened scrutiny, several hundred thousand Green Card holders from the 19 countries will be put under “rigorous re-examination”.

Lakanwal, who had worked with the CIA in Afghanistan, came to the US under programs to protect Afghans who had cooperated with the US when the Taliban took over. (IANS)