(The Hill) – In response to a recent shooting involving two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., former President Trump declared on Thursday that he intends to halt immigration from what he termed “all Third World Countries.”

In a detailed message posted on his Truth Social account, Trump stated, “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.”

Earlier in the day, the Trump administration signaled its intention to reevaluate green card policies concerning 19 specific nations. According to a June memo from the White House, these countries, which face potential entry restrictions, include Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.

The shift in immigration policy follows the identification of a suspected shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, who allegedly targeted the National Guard members on Wednesday. Lakanwal reportedly arrived in the U.S. in 2021 under a program designed for Afghans who had supported American efforts during the two-decade-long conflict in Afghanistan.

In light of these developments, the administration announced an indefinite suspension of migration from Afghanistan on Thursday.

Trump did not provide details on which countries would be subject to the pause. There are 44 “least developed” countries as designated by the United Nations. 

The Hill has reached out to the White House for clarification.

One of the National Guard members who was targeted in Wednesday’s shooting, U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died on Thursday. The other, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalised in critical condition.