Trump's new immigration restrictions will adversely impact Asian immigrants; favor white Afrikaners

Donald Trump wants more restrictions for immigrants to the US.

The United States might as well hang a sign out that says "No people of color allowed," after Donald Trump proposed new sweeping restrictions after Thanksgiving Day.

Over the past week, following an Afghan national arrested as a suspect in the fatal shooting of National Guard soldier in Washington DC, Trump issued a flurry of social media posts further restricting immigration from "third world" countries. 

As  Trump advocated new restrictions on immigration from Asia, Africa and the MIddle East, going almost unnoticed under the barrage of his social media posts, is he wants to give white South Afrikaners priority as refugees.

Trump's recent immigration declarations will affect immigrants from Asia by heightened restrictions on family-based immigration, increased scrutiny and costs for skilled-worker visas (H-1B), and travel restrictions on certain Asian nations.

Key Declarations

 The death of one National Guard soldier and seriously injuring another blocks from the White House sparked a flurry of social media pronouncements by Trump, including:

• Trump stated he would "permanently pause" migration from "all Third World Countries". When asked for clarification, the Department of Homeland Security pointed to the 19 countries already on a June 2025 travel ban list, which includes Asian countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos. Nationals from these specific countries will face full or partial entry suspensions, including stricter visa requirements and potentially indefinite delays in processing.

• The Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has ordered a "full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern." For Asian immigrants from the targeted 19 countries, this means a likely increase in processing times, added background checks, longer security screening, or temporary holds on their applications.

• Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), often used by Afghan nationals who worked with the US military, have been paused following the incident, directly impacting a specific group of Asian immigrants seeking refuge and legal status.

Immigration from Asia is a significant part of U.S. immigration, with immigrants from India, China, and the Philippines being the largest groups, and origins spanning from historical migration to modern-day skilled and family-based immigration

Key effects on Asian immigrants include:

Family Reunification Challenges: Trump has emphasized a shift away from the current family-based immigration system towards a "merit-based" model. This will disproportionately affect many Asian immigrant communities (such as those from the Philippines, Vietnam, India, and China) that rely heavily on family-sponsored visas, which already face extensive backlogs. The new policies will likely prevent family members abroad from joining relatives already in the U.S., creating long-distance separations and significant delays.

H-1B Visa Restrictions: The administration continues to target the H-1B skilled-worker visa program, which is widely utilized by immigrants from India and China. Recent actions have included significant fee increases (e.g., to $100,000 per application for certain groups), higher wage requirements, and increased scrutiny during the application process, making it more difficult and expensive for US companies to hire and retain highly skilled Asian professionals.

Family reunification may be harder under Donald Trump's new proposals.

Travel Bans and Heightened Scrutiny: The administration has implemented full or partial entry suspensions and heightened scrutiny for nationals of several countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Laos. This can prevent individuals from these countries from entering the U.S. and complicate visa renewals for those already in the country.

Increased Deportation and Enforcement: The administration's push for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants also impacts Asian communities; Asian Americans constitute about 10% of the total undocumented population. There has also been an increase in the detention and deportation of Southeast Asians with existing removal orders.

Termination of Protections: The recent termination of TPS for approximately 4,000 Myanmar nationals, effective January 26, 2026, will leave these individuals vulnerable to deportation unless they can find other legal avenues to remain in the U.S.

"Ideological Screening" and Fear: Trump's declaration to block immigrants "non-compatible with Western civilization" introduces subjective criteria for entry and could lead to ideological or discriminatory screening processes. This, along with general anti-immigrant rhetoric, contributes to a climate of fear and uncertainty, potentially discouraging immigrants from accessing essential services, such as healthcare.

Even before last week's declarations fear and anxiety among Asian Americans has been on the rise.  A November 2025 poll revealed that worries about detention and deportation among Asian immigrants doubled from 14% in 2023 to 29%, a concern extending to many with lawful permanent resident (LPR) status or naturalized citizenship.

White Afrikaners 'prioritized'

Overall, these actions indicate a major shift in US immigration policy that creates significant uncertainty and fear among Asian immigrant communities, even for those with legal status.

Among these proposed policies that generally reduces immigration from "third-world" countries and has severely cut the overall US refugee admission ceiling to a record low, the Trump administration has specifically prioritized members of the white Afrikaner minority. This policy is based on Trump's claims of a "white genocide" and land seizures in South Africa,  

The Trump administration has not provided data or credible evidence to substantiate its claim of "white genocide" in South Africa. The claims have been widely fact-checked and debunked by the South African government, independent experts, human rights organizations, and even the US State Department's own reports.

South African immigrants Elon Musk, left and Peter Thiel are major Donald Trump supporters.

Critics have offered two reasons explaining the apparent emphasis on South Africa white immigrants:

1. Critics argue that the policy is a "dog whistle" appealing to white victimhood and is consistent with Trump's preference for immigrants from predominantly white countries over those from "third world" nations. Some officials suggested the preference was because they would be easier to assimilate.

2. It is payback to two billionaire supporters, both immigrants from South Africa and who have financed Trump's campaign: Elon Musk, the richest person in the world who donated millions of dollars to put Trump in the Oval Office and helped Trump drastically reduce the federal workforce in the opening months of the Trump administration; and Peter Thiel,  a venture capitalist and tech investor known for co-founding PayPal and being an early investor in Facebook. He has been a vocal supporter and advisor for Trump. Although Thiel hasn't donated directly to the Heritage Foundation, the think tank that developed Project 2025, his philanthropic foundation has been a major donor (reportedly $10 million) to the Donor's Trust, a "dark money" group that in turn has funded the Heritage Foundation.

The administration is restricting legal immigration pathways through measures like expanded travel bans targeting specific countries, increased fees for applications, and limits on H-1B and student work visas, impacting the flow of talent into the US.

In essence, experts anticipate that the wide-ranging pronouncements will lead to a smaller population and workforce, a weaker economy in the long run, and profound social and personal costs for immigrant communities and the nation as a whole.

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