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Bush Institute criticizes Trump administration’s Afghan immigration freeze
The statement drew sharp responses from figures aligned with Trump.
The George W. Bush Institute has pushed back against the Trump administration’s decision to pause and review immigration applications from Afghanistan and 18 other countries, arguing that entire populations should not be penalized for the alleged crimes of one individual.
The policy review followed the November shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., allegedly carried out by an Afghan national who had previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan and was granted asylum in the United States earlier this year.
In a statement posted on social media on Friday, the George W. Bush Presidential Center said the alleged actions of one man had “derailed the lawful U.S. immigration applications of people from 18 countries so far, including Afghanistan.” The Center added that Afghans are facing growing uncertainty both inside Afghanistan and in the United States, urging Americans to consider “why we can’t turn our back on Afghans and other immigrants due to one man’s crime.”
The Bush Institute argued that elected officials should focus on examining whether the attack could have been prevented, rather than imposing sweeping measures on Afghans who are lawfully living in or seeking entry to the U.S. It emphasized that many Afghans had “risked their lives over the last two decades” by working alongside the United States in pursuit of stability and prosperity, and said they “shouldn’t bear the burden of one man’s heinous crimes.”
The statement drew sharp responses from figures aligned with Trump. Mike Davis, a prominent Trump loyalist and legal adviser in the administration, criticized the Bush Institute’s intervention by citing past remarks from former President George W. Bush about avoiding public criticism of sitting presidents. Davis suggested the former president and his affiliated institutions should refrain from weighing in on current policy debates unless directly asked.
Davis, who previously worked in the Office of Political Affairs during the Bush administration and later assisted Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch in securing a position at the Department of Justice, framed his response as a defense of presidential discretion.
Trump’s White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller responded more bluntly. In a separate post, Miller accused the Bush Institute of advocating “unfettered migration from the most dangerous nations on planet earth,” and suggested the Institute was minimizing security risks posed by some migrants.
The exchange highlights deep divisions within the Republican Party over immigration policy, particularly concerning Afghanistan, as the Trump administration continues its review of asylum and immigration applications from countries deemed high risk.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has called for closer cooperation between Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Afghanistan, saying a historic opportunity has emerged to create a shared development space in the heart of Eurasia.
Speaking at an informal consultative meeting of Central Asian leaders and the President of Azerbaijan in Kyrgyzstan on Friday, Mirziyoyev said Central Asia should now be viewed within a broader geopolitical framework.
He said the region, which was once divided, is gradually moving toward greater cooperation around a common development agenda, while Azerbaijan’s participation expands this process beyond Central Asia.
“A historic opportunity is opening before us to create a common space for development linking Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Afghanistan. We must seize this moment to build lasting ties and good-neighborly relations in the heart of Eurasia,” Mirziyoyev said.
The Uzbek leader emphasized the importance of strengthening regional connectivity, economic cooperation and long-term relations among neighboring countries.
The head of Afghanistan’s power utility company has requested Uzbekistan’s cooperation in identifying and resolving technical problems in Afghanistan’s electricity network.
Haji Mullah Abdul Haq Hamkar, Chief Executive Officer of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), held talks with Dr. Akmal Jumanazarov, head of Uzbekistan’s Technical Regulation Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers, during his visit to Uzbekistan.
The two sides discussed technical standards in the electricity sector, improving the capacity of testing laboratories, implementing international standards, and expanding technical cooperation.
Hamkar called on Uzbekistan to support DABS in calibrating testing equipment, standardizing laboratories, and establishing mobile laboratories to help detect and resolve technical problems in the power network more quickly and accurately.
Uzbekistan’s Technical Regulation Agency also expressed readiness to cooperate in enhancing the technical capacity of DABS employees, calibrating equipment, organizing specialized training programs, and providing mobile laboratory facilities.
Both sides emphasized the importance of continued cooperation, exchange of technical expertise, implementation of international standards, and improving the quality and reliability of Afghanistan’s electricity sector.
China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, said he held talks with a senior Turkish diplomat in Ankara on Afghanistan’s peaceful reconstruction and regional security.
In a post on X, Yue said he met with Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and described the discussions as productive.
“As always I am delighted meeting with Mr. Cihad Erginay… We had a very good discussion as to peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan as well as regional security and stability,” Yue wrote.
The meeting comes as China and Türkiye continue diplomatic engagement on Afghanistan following the return of the Islamic Emirate to power in 2021. Both countries have repeatedly emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, economic development and stability in Afghanistan.
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