On Friday, 28 November, 2025, President Donald Trump marked Thanksgiving with a blistering attack on U.S. immigration policies, labelling them “just plain STUPID” and vowing sweeping reforms including a permanent halt to migration from “Third World Countries.”
In a lengthy post on X, formerly Twitter, Trump blamed immigrants for a host of societal ills, drawing sharp reactions from supporters and critics alike amid ongoing debates over border security.
“A very Happy Thanksgiving salutation to all of our Great American Citizens and Patriots who have been so nice in allowing our Country to be divided, disrupted, carved up, murdered, beaten, mugged, and laughed at,” Trump wrote, criticizing “Politically Correct” approaches to immigration.
He cited census data claiming the “official United States Foreign population stands at 53 million people,” most of whom he alleged are “on welfare, from failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels.”
Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) partially aligns with Trump’s figure, showing the foreign-born population hit 53.3 million in January 2025 before declining to about 51.1 million by July due to deportations and outflows.
However, welfare usage remains contentious. CIS estimates 59% of illegal immigrant households access benefits, higher than the 39% for native-born.
Contrasting reports from the Migration Policy Institute and Cato Institute indicate immigrants often use public benefits at lower rates and consume just 11.9% of total entitlements despite comprising 14.6% of the population.
Trump singled out Minnesota, claiming “hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State” with “Somalian gangs… roving the streets looking for ‘prey.'”
He lambasted Gov. Tim Walz as “seriously retarded” and Rep. Ilhan Omar as the “worst ‘Congressman/woman’ in our Country,” accusing her of illegal entry and ingratitude toward America. Census data shows Minnesota’s Somali-born population at around 37,000 to 87,000, far below Trump’s estimate, with resettlement figures under 6,000 from 2012-2017.
The president outlined aggressive policies: “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries… terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions… and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.”
He concluded, “Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation. Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long!”The post, viewed over 7.8 million times, sparked immediate backlash and praise.
Supporters on X hailed it as truth-telling, with one user writing, “Bodied Ilhan Omar ” and another calling Trump “the best to ever do it.”
Critics decried it as xenophobic, with comments like “The manner in which xenophobia and racism are going to shine even more in that country is going to be sad to see.”
Media outlets linked the message to recent events, including a National Guard shooting involving an Afghan national, amplifying calls for stricter borders.
“Angel Families” released a video thanking Trump for his stance, while opponents warned of economic fallout from mass deportations.
As Trump continues his second term, this Thanksgiving screed signals a hardline agenda, potentially reshaping U.S. immigration for years.
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