US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday announced that she has recommended a complete travel ban on countries whose citizens, she claimed, are sending “killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies” to the United States. Her remarks came after a high-level meeting with President Donald Trump, who is overseeing an increasingly aggressive immigration crackdown following the fatal shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC.
In a post on X, Noem said America’s founders did not build the nation for “foreign invaders” to harm US service members or exploit taxpayer-funded benefits. She ended her statement in all caps: “WE DON’T WANT THEM. NOT ONE.”
DC Shooting Sparks Harsh Immigration Measures
The comments follow last week’s shooting near the White House, where 29-year-old Afghan immigrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly killed one National Guard member and critically injured another. The incident occurred shortly before Thanksgiving, prompting intensified security and renewed scrutiny of immigration pathways.
Noem said investigators believe the accused shooter was radicalised after arriving in the United States, contradicting earlier suggestions that he may have had extremist links before entering the country. She added that authorities are now collecting additional intelligence from his family and associates.
US Freezes All Visas for Afghan Passport Holders
Amid rising political pressure, the US State Department halted all visa issuance for Afghan passport holders last week. Immigration authorities also suspended asylum decisions and ordered a comprehensive review of green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries of concern.
President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, indicated he is considering a long-term suspension of asylum admissions, saying, “We have enough problems. We don’t want those people.”
Debate Over Vetting and Responsibility
Noem argued on ABC’s This Week that Lakanwal—an Afghan national who worked with the CIA during the US war in Afghanistan—was admitted under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome without adequate vetting. He was granted asylum in April 2021.
According to Noem, the evidence used in his asylum processing “came from the previous administration” and was not sufficiently verified. She insisted that screening procedures have since been strengthened under Trump.
The case has now become a flashpoint in the broader debate over national security, immigration control, and resettlement programs for foreign nationals who previously assisted US operations abroad.
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