President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his decision to “permanently pause migration from all Third World countries.” He said he has the authority to do this under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, even though several UN agencies have asked the U.S. to keep its asylum system open.
Trump pointed to Section 212(f) while stopping all asylum decisions and freezing visas for people holding Afghan passports. He said these steps are needed for national security. The White House also highlighted the same legal rule on X, saying it allows the president to block the entry of “any group of foreigners” if they are considered harmful to U.S.
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President’s Limited Power to Restrict Migrant Entry
- This law that blocks migrants from entering the U.S. gives the President a limited constitutional power to stop certain migrants (asylum seekers are not included). The President can keep this rule in place for as long as he believes it is necessary to restrict migrant entry.
- Trump also said that the number of foreign-born people living in the U.S. is higher now than at any point in history — about one migrant for every six Americans. He added that this is why strong measures are now being taken to control the situation.
How Trump Explained His Authority
Donald Trump posted on Truth Social quoting the main part of Section 212(f), highlighting that a U.S. President can block the entry of “all aliens or any class of aliens” if their entry is considered harmful to the country. The administration is using this clause to defend its pause on asylum decisions and its order to stop issuing visas to Afghan passport-holders, calling these steps legal and necessary for national security.
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The White House said stricter checks are required until the government can “make sure every foreign national is fully vetted.”
Trump’s latest order is built on the same legal base as the 2017–18 travel bans, which were upheld by the Supreme Court in Trump v. Hawaii. But this time, the wording is even broader, he refers to “all Third World countries,” a label with no clear legal definition that could include many parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Immigration experts believe the administration is trying to see how far Section 212(f) can be used before courts step in.
Wider Impact of the Decision
Impact on Afghans
The visa freeze immediately affects people applying for Special Immigrant Visas and refugee programs. These groups were already facing long delays, and now the wait will get even longer.
Impact on Asylum Seekers
More than a million asylum cases pending with USCIS and immigration courts are now stuck with no timeline for decisions. This worsens an immigration system that is already overloaded.
Impact on India and Other ‘Global South’ Nations
The White House has not said whether countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, or nations in Africa and Latin America will be officially included in future orders. This lack of clarity has caused worry among students, workers, and companies that depend on U.S. visas.