Trump declares permanent immigration ban targeting Nigeria, other “Third World” nations

Trump declares permanent immigration ban targeting Nigeria, other “Third World” nations

U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a far-reaching overhaul of America’s immigration policy, declaring plans for a permanent ban on migration from what he termed “Third World countries,” including many nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Speaking during a Thanksgiving address, Trump argued that long-standing immigration systems were endangering national security and placing heavy pressure on public infrastructure. He claimed that America’s foreign-born population, now estimated at 53 million, included individuals from “failed nations, prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels,” which he linked to rising migration challenges.

“America has been divided, disrupted, carved up, murdered, beaten, mugged, and laughed at,” he said, insisting that unchecked immigration had imposed significant economic and social burdens across the country.

Trump also criticised current green card policies, arguing that immigrants with modest incomes were still able to access federal benefits, a situation he said contributed to “social dysfunction.” He pointed to issues such as crime, overcrowded schools, strained hospitals, and worsening housing shortages.

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Using Minnesota as an example, Trump claimed the arrival of Somali refugees had altered the state negatively, saying residents now lived in fear inside their homes.

At the centre of his proposed reforms is a permanent halt to immigration from countries he classified as “Third World.” “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover,” he declared.

He further vowed to reverse what he described as “illegal admissions” under the Biden administration, cut off federal benefits for non-citizens, deport migrants considered security risks or financial burdens, and denaturalise individuals he claims undermine national stability. Trump described these measures as part of a broader effort to enforce a “major reduction” of what he called illegal or disruptive populations, adding that “reverse migration” was the only lasting solution.

The announcement came days after a shooting incident in Washington, D.C., in which two National Guard personnel were injured. Authorities said the suspected gunman entered the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome after assisting American troops in Afghanistan and was granted asylum in 2023.

Trump ended his remarks with a pointed Thanksgiving message, telling those he accused of undermining American values: “You won’t be here for long.”

Trump declares permanent immigration ban targeting Nigeria, other “Third World” nations