NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump on Sunday said his administration’s halt on asylum processing in the wake of the deadly National Guard shooting earlier this week could last “a long time,” and floated the possibility of revoking citizenship from some naturalized immigrants with criminal histories.
While the administration has framed the asylum freeze as an emergency response to Wednesday’s shooting, the president’s comments to reporters aboard Air Force One suggest the restrictions could evolve into a longer-term approach.
President Trump tied the pause to a more robust stance toward 19 countries he derided as “crime-ridden” and vowed that he would “absolutely” de-naturalize immigrants convicted of crimes — if it is within his presidential authority.
“We have enough problems. We don’t want those people,” Trump said, adding that there was no time limit on the moratorium.
TRUMP HIGHLIGHTS FEDERAL LAW GRANTING PRESIDENTIAL POWER TO HALT IMMIGRATION AS CRACKDOWN ESCALATES
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight on Air Force One from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., to Joint Base Andrews, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“We have criminals that came into our country and they were naturalized,” Trump said, vowing that, “If I have the power to do it – I’m not sure that I do, but if I do – I would de-naturalize. Absolutely.”
Trump clarified his recent use of the term “reverse migration,” saying it means removing people already inside the U.S.
“Get people out that are in our country – get them out of here,” Trump said.
LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDING AFTER 2 NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS SHOT NEAR WHITE HOUSE
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, is charged with shooting two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House on Wednesday.
National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, were shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Beckstrom…
