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The White House published a message on Saturday reminding that the President of the United States has the authority to suspend the entry of any foreigner or impose any immigration restrictions deemed necessary.
The tweet, posted from the official account @WhiteHouse, cited Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a legal tool historically used for temporary bans, but which is now emerging amid an explosive political climate and an openly restrictive presidential discourse.
The publication comes right after the Trump administration froze all asylum decisions following the attack that occurred this week in Washington D.C., where an Afghan citizen killed a 20-year-old soldier and seriously injured another military member. The attacker had entered the U.S. with a special visa granted during the evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021.
Total halt to asylum: thousands in limbo
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that no asylum decisions will be approved or processed until the research and background check protocols for protection applicants are reviewed.
For thousands of migrants, including Cubans fleeing political persecution or economic crisis, the pause means being stuck in a legal limbo that could last indefinitely.
"The safety of the American people always comes first," the agency assured. However, the administration has not explained how long the suspension will last or whether it will lead to a more drastic closure of the asylum system.
Trump moves towards a "reverse migration."
The attack was used by the president to justify an unprecedented crackdown. In a post on Thanksgiving Day, Trump announced that:
- suspend migration permanently from “all Third World countries”;
- it will eliminate federal benefits for non-citizens;
- will deport individuals considered "public charge";
- and will de-naturalize immigrants, even long-term residents, if it deems they "undermine national tranquility."
"Only a reverse migration can heal this situation," the president wrote, reiterating that the United States is suffering from a "destructive invasion."
The speech has been labeled as xenophobic and dangerous by human rights organizations, which remind us that the Fourteenth Amendment protects the citizenship of those who have already obtained it.
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