The Trump administration has directed American diplomats stationed overseas to pressure their host countries to implement stricter immigration policies and report back on any nations that show what the U.S. considers excessive favoritism toward migrants. This directive comes through a diplomatic cable dated November 21 that was sent to U.S. embassies across Europe, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Diplomatic Instructions Revealed
According to the cable, which was first reported by The New York Times, diplomats have been ordered to raise concerns about violent crimes associated with people of a migration background with their host governments. The objective is to build support for addressing and reforming policies related to migrant crime while emphasizing national sovereignty and community safety.
The document specifically instructs diplomats to file detailed reports to the U.S. State Department about crimes linked to immigrants and explain how host countries handled these incidents. Additionally, diplomats are directed to encourage foreign governments to eliminate programs that unduly favor migrants at the expense of local populations.
Escalating Immigration Rhetoric
The diplomatic push coincides with President Donald Trump's intensified rhetoric against immigrants following Wednesday's shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. One guard has since died from injuries, while the other remained in critical condition as of late Thursday.
The suspect in the shooting is an Afghan national who entered the United States legally through a resettlement program during the Biden administration and was granted asylum earlier this year under the Trump administration.
On Thanksgiving Day, Trump used his Truth Social platform to announce he would permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries and eliminate all federal benefits and subsidies to non-citizens while continuing deportations.
Broader Policy Changes
The Trump administration has also revealed plans to review all asylum cases approved under the previous Biden administration and reexamine all Green Cards issued to citizens from 19 countries, including Venezuela, Sudan, and Somalia.
This represents the latest escalation in Trump's aggressive crackdown on immigration since returning to office in January. During a September speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Trump told fellow world leaders that it's time to end the failed experiment of open borders, warning that their countries were "going to hell" without stricter immigration controls.
The diplomatic cable explicitly states the U.S. position that host countries should ensure their policies protect citizens from what it describes as negative social impacts of mass migration, including displacement, sexual assault, and breakdown of law and order.
