President Donald Trump didn’t mince words aboard Air Force One Sunday night when asked about the duration of his newly announced “permanent pause” on immigration from high-risk, unstable, or non-Western nations. If Democrats were hoping this policy came with an expiration date, they aren’t going to like what he said.
The president made it unmistakably clear: there is no timetable — and the pause could remain in place indefinitely.
This follows his emotional and fiery response to the horrific terrorist attack that killed two members of the West Virginia National Guard in Washington, D.C. The attack was carried out by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. in 2021 under President Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome program following the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal.
Lakanwal fatally shot 20-year-old Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and left 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe fighting for his life. The attack reignited national outrage over the Biden-era resettlement program, which Republicans have long criticized for failing to vet Afghan entrants adequately.
Trump: “We don’t want those people here.”
When a reporter pressed Trump on how long the immigration freeze would last, the President answered without hesitation:
“No time limit — but it could be a long time.”
He continued:
“We don’t want those people, do you understand that? Do you know why? Because many of them are no good, and they should never have been brought into our country.”
The media will undoubtedly latch onto the phrase “those people,” twisting it into a race-based narrative — because that has become the reflexive response of legacy newsrooms any time Trump addresses immigration. But the context is clear: Trump was referring specifically to migrants from nations with active terrorism, violent extremist networks, or collapsed security structures.
In other words, countries that cannot verify the identity, background, or criminal history of those attempting to enter the United States.
Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome Under Scrutiny Once Again
This tragedy has reopened a massive and politically explosive question:
How many violent extremists slipped into the United States during Biden’s rushed Afghanistan evacuation?
Multiple watchdog groups and intelligence analysts have already warned that vetting during the 2021 withdrawal was sloppy, rushed, and politically driven. Numerous cases have since surfaced of Afghan entrants flagged for terrorism ties, criminal activity, and immigration fraud.
The death of Beckstrom — and the near-death of Wolfe — is now being held up by Republicans as the most devastating example yet of that failure.
Trump emphasized that point Sunday night:
“We’re not going to repeat Biden’s mistakes. We’re not going to import danger. The safety of Americans comes first — not a distant second.”
Democrats Meltdown Begins
Progressive lawmakers immediately blasted Trump’s comments, accusing him of “xenophobia,” “collective punishment,” and “fearmongering.”
But the President appears unfazed. In fact, the more Democrats complain, the more aggressively he leans in.
This is a familiar pattern:
- Trump makes a sweeping policy announcement,
- Democrats erupt,
- The media amplifies their outrage,
- And Trump doubles down — usually with increased public support behind him.
Given the rising number of terrorism-related arrests tied to recent migrant arrivals, polls already show a majority of Americans favor stricter immigration controls.
A Pause With No End Date
The strategic — and political — significance of Trump’s “no timeline” stance is enormous.
By refusing to attach an end date, Trump signals that this policy is tied not to an election cycle or diplomatic negotiation but to national security conditions alone.
In other words, the pause lifts only when the threat lifts — and not before.
The White House later clarified that the pause applies to nations categorized as:
- “failed states,”
- “high-terrorism-risk countries,”
- and nations “unable or unwilling to verify the identity of their citizens.”
That covers dozens of countries across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and parts of Latin America.
The Political Fallout
Democrats are already panicking. They know:
- Immigration is a losing issue for them.
- Border security polls higher every month.
- The American public overwhelmingly rejects the Biden-era policies that produced record border crossings and national-security failures.
Trump’s announcement puts them in a brutal corner.
Do they support tougher vetting — and risk angering their activist base?
Or oppose the pause — and appear to prioritize foreign nationals over American safety?
Either way, it’s a problem for them.
The Bottom Line
President Trump just made one of the boldest immigration moves of his second term — and he’s signaling it may last years, not months.
His message is simple:
America won’t absorb the security risks of failed foreign governments.
And the days of reckless mass entry are over.
Democrats can complain. The media can editorialize. Activists can protest.
But the policy isn’t changing — and the President isn’t backing down.