Story perspectives

Trump Halts Asylum for 19 Countries Amid Controversy

12/8/2025

Summary

Trump Suspends Immigration

U.S. President Donald Trump announced in December 2025 that asylum and green cards are halted for 19 countries.
The policy follows a shooting involving an Afghan immigrant, with Cuba and Venezuela among affected countries.
Critics including Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) label the measures un-American and punitive.
Immigration attorneys report anxiety amid evolving legal landscape, and polls show dissatisfaction with many supporting due process for immigrants with criminal records.

History

Historical Context

The Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the Johnson-Reed Act, established strict quotas limiting immigration from specific countries, particularly targeting Southern and Eastern Europe and barring Asian immigrants. This law, effective from July 1, 1929, aimed to preserve U.S. ethnic homogeneity and shaped immigration policy until the 1965 reforms, which abolished the quota system and diversified immigration sources.

1 of 2

Trump Suspends Immigration

U.S. President Donald Trump announced in December 2025 that asylum and green cards are halted for 19 countries.
The policy follows a shooting involving an Afghan immigrant, with Cuba and Venezuela among affected countries.
Critics including Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) label the measures un-American and punitive.
Immigration attorneys report anxiety amid evolving legal landscape, and polls show dissatisfaction with many supporting due process for immigrants with criminal records.

1 / 2