The US State Department has urged its diplomats to actively discourage host governments from adopting pro-immigration policies. In a circular sent on Friday (November 28) to its embassies across Europe, Canada, and Australia, and seen by Reuters, the department argues that "mass migration" can be linked to violent crime and human rights violations.  

The official talking points warn of "negative social impacts of mass migration, including displacement, sexual assault, and the breakdown of law and order."

According to the instructions obtained by Reuters, US representatives are to report incidents tied to migrants back to Washington and to press for tighter migration controls.  

Shooting of US National Guard 

The move comes at a time of heightened tension in the US following a deadly shooting of two National Guard members, one of whom has succumbed to their injuries and died. In response, US President Donald Trump vowed to freeze migration from what he referred to as "third-world countries". 

In a post on X, US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow confirmed the suspension.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who is the main suspect in the shooting, was wounded during the encounter with security forces. Lakanwal was reported to have worked with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for over a decade while living in Afghanistan.  

After the Taliban takeover in 2021 and the withdrawal of US troops, Lakanwal came to the US with his family. According to media reports, Lakanwal had a hard time integrating into the US societal fabric and may have been dealing with PTSD.

Read AlsoVulnerable Afghans flown to Germany once again

Rejection of outside interference

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly rejected what he described as US pressure on European migration policy, saying, "Migration policy is our business, and we decide it as we see fit… We don't need any admonitions from outside."

Germany, under a federal admissions program, offers Afghan nationals who had served in German offices or missions before the takeover of the Taliban settlement in Germany, along with their families. After suspension and much debate, the government resumed admissions for some Afghans with legally binding entry approvals.

The Chancellor added that Germany, together with the other EU countries, is in the process of forging a common European asylum and immigration policy, and insisted that these decisions should be made internally, without outside interference.  

Merz’s response points to a broader concern among some EU leaders that foreign pressure, especially from the US, could complicate efforts to manage migration in a way that balances security, legal obligations, and humanitarian commitments. 

Read AlsoEU draws the lines on upcoming migration 'solidarity pool' and how it will be implemented

Migrants implicated in crime

The public perception of migrants involved in crime, especially violent and sexual crimes, remains controversial and often misleading.

High-profile cases, such as a case that involved an asylum seeker in the UK embroiled in sexual assault, sparked riots in different parts of the country while fueling debate over whether migrants have a greater propensity to commit sexual or violent crimes. 

Media coverage also tends to overrepresent crimes committed by foreigners relative to their actual share of offenders in police data.

Research shows that although foreigners may appear disproportionately in some crime statistics, once factors such as urban concentration, younger age profile, and socioeconomic conditions are accounted for, there is no clear causal relationship between migrants’ presence and higher crime rates. 

Official statistics from the general population show rising sexual-offence figures overall, but not a conclusively disproportionate share can be attributed directly to migrant groups.

Read AlsoUK: Is there an increasing number of sexual assaults committed by male migrants?