PALM BEACH, FL – President Donald Trump marked Thanksgiving with a lengthy online message vowing to suspend immigration from“Third World countries” while sharply criticizing former President Joe Biden’s handling of migration and refugee policy.
The post, published on Trump’s Truth Social account Thursday, included personal attacks against U.S. political figures and immigrants, portraying migration as the root of social and economic dysfunction across America.
Trump claimed that refugees and migrants are burdening taxpayers and contributing to crime, vowing to impose what he described as “reverse migration” to restore order.
He also pledged to “terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions,” referring to migrants allowed into the U.S. during the current administration, and to denaturalize those he views as undermining “domestic tranquility.”
Trump’s immigration message draws backlash
Trump’s remarks sparked immediate criticism from political opponents, immigrant advocacy groups, and civil rights organizations, who denounced the message as inflammatory and misleading. Critics accused the president of using dehumanizing language to stoke fear and division on a national holiday.
The message also included disparaging remarks about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Representative Ilhan Omar, both Democrats, as Trump used them to illustrate his broader argument about immigration policy and social decline.
Immigration policy central to Trump’s 2024 campaign
Trump’s Thanksgiving post reflects his continued focus on immigration as a central campaign issue heading into 2024. His promise to impose a full “migration pause” from certain nations mirrors policies from his previous term, including the 2017 travel ban targeting several predominantly Muslim countries.
Political analysts say the rhetoric underscores Trump’s strategy to mobilize his base by revisiting themes that defined his 2016 agenda for his 2024 campaign — particularly opposition to illegal immigration and criticism of political elites.