The Ben Shapiro Show

Episode 2324 – The Trump Administration CRACKS DOWN on Third World Migration
Date: December 1, 2025
Host: Ben Shapiro

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ben Shapiro delves into the Trump administration’s sweeping new policies aiming to halt and reverse third world migration to the United States, triggered by a recent Afghan refugee-committed terror attack against U.S. National Guard members. Shapiro connects this incident to broader issues of mass migration, failed vetting, radicalization, and welfare fraud—particularly within the Somali community in Minnesota. He also analyzes the political and legal fallout surrounding these developments and considers rising tensions with Venezuela and ongoing Ukraine peace negotiations. The tone is fast-paced, combative, and unapologetically conservative throughout.

1. Trump's Crackdown on Migration and Afghan Terror Attack

[02:00 – 17:30]

• Policy Announcement:
  Over Thanksgiving, President Trump announced a plan to “permanently pause all immigration from what he called Third World countries” and to begin “reverse migration.”

  • Trump argues that unchecked migration has eroded living conditions (“I will permanently pause migration from all third world countries to allow the US System to fully recover… Denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility and deport any foreign national who is a public charge, security risk, or non compatible with Western civilization.” —Trump, [03:15])

• Catalyst – Afghan National Guard Shooting:

  • An Afghan refugee, Rahmanula Lakanwal, formerly with the CIA-backed “Zero Units,” shot and killed a National Guard member and critically wounded another in D.C.
  • Lakanwal entered via Operation Allies Welcome (2021) and was granted asylum in April 2025. Official vetting had occurred, but he reportedly became radicalized after arriving in the US.
  • Christy Noem (DHS Head): “When he was shipped in, he wasn’t a problem. He was radicalized later through connections already in the country, which by the way is significantly more dangerous.” [14:55]
  • Red flags about his mental health, inability to assimilate, and disturbed behavior were apparently ignored for years.

• Radicalization Threat:

  • Shapiro pivots to discuss how domestic radicalization complicates the "close the borders" argument, necessitating deeper scrutiny of internal Islamist extremism.
  • Shapiro: “If in fact there are people who...are being radicalized in the United States, you have to start asking some pretty serious questions about which organizations in the United States here...are actually radicalizing people.” [13:30]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Only reverse migration can fully cure this situation.” —Trump ([03:45])
• “You can shut the borders...and we should. But also in this case, the problem is...how he got radicalized after he came to the United States.” —Shapiro ([14:10])
• “He failed to assimilate, failed to hold down a steady job or commit to learning English.” ([16:15])

2. Broader Vetting Challenges and National Security

[17:30 – 22:30]

• Another Incident:

  • DHS arrested another Afghan national in Texas for plotting to build a bomb, after he posted about it online.
  • Sen. Mark Kelly: Even Democrats admit vetting must improve (“I don’t think there’s any question that everybody needs better vetting... There needs to be an investigation and find out, you know, why did this guy do this? Was he radicalized in Afghanistan or, you know, here in the United States?” [20:40])

• Critique on Migration Policy:

  • Shapiro reiterates that initial vetting is crucial but insufficient if radicalization can occur domestically.
  • Debate about whether to re-vet all 190,000 Afghan arrivals; Kelly says to focus on those who prompt suspicion.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "There have been a whole list of people in the United States who have been radicalized inside the United States by ISIS associated group social media." —Shapiro ([12:20])

3. Somali Welfare Fraud Scandal in Minnesota

[22:30 – 33:45]

• New York Times Reports Massive Welfare Fraud:

  • Somali-American community in Minnesota at the center of $1B+ in pandemic-aligned welfare fraud, including fake child meal programs.
  • 59 convicted so far; fraud equaled more than the state’s annual Department of Corrections budget.
  • Political and Cultural Tensions:
    • Accusations that concerns were suppressed for fear of appearing racist.
    • The Democratic political machine seen as reluctant to address fraud due to Somali Americans being a key voting bloc.
  • Somali-American Fraud Investigator Kaisa Magan: “There’s a perception that forcefully tackling this issue might cause political backlash among the Somali community, which is a core voting bloc for Democrats.” [30:25]

• Trump's Response:

  • Calls Minnesota a hub of fraudulent activity; singles out Rep. Ilhan Omar and suggests she should be deported for alleged immigration fraud.
  • Criticizes Gov. Tim Walz for inaction and even uses the word “retarded” to describe him, stirring controversy.
  • Trump: “She supposedly came into our country by marrying her brother. If that's true, she shouldn't be congressperson. We should throw her the hell out of the country.” ([32:15])

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “It’s not even a country because it doesn’t function like a country. It’s got a name, but it doesn’t function...” —Trump on Somalia ([32:55])

4. Mass Migration and “Replacement” Rhetoric

[33:45 – 37:30]

• Wajahat Ali Viral Clip:

  • NYT writer Wajahat Ali says: “You let us in in the first place... There’s a lot of us...and we breed. We’re a breeding people.” ([34:15])
  • Shapiro sees this as inadvertently justifying Trump’s call to restrict migration for cultural and demographic reasons.
  • Emphasizes that “character and culture matter, not just skin color.”

• Shapiro:

  • “Cultures from which they come, their beliefs—they matter to the definition of a country. And when you bring people in en masse, that is going to change the cultural fabric of a country. Duh.” ([35:05])

5. Legal Debate: Military Orders, the “Narco Boats,” & Venezuela

[37:30 – 46:50]

• Allegations of War Crimes:

  • Democrats argue Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s “kill everybody” order in sinking Venezuelan narco boats constitutes a war crime, especially as alleged survivors were targeted after their vessel was disabled.
  • Debate: Are these targeted killings legitimate military actions or extrajudicial executions?
  • Hegseth responds: U.S. actions are lawful; “The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narcoboats, and kill the narco terrorists who are poisoning the American people.” ([43:25])
  • Democratic Senators and Lawyers: If the order violated law, everyone in the chain of command could be liable.
  • Legal Complexity: Law professors and military lawyers are divided on whether actions taken were justified under the “military objective” doctrine.

• Wider Context:

  • Efforts to box in the Venezuelan regime, force Maduro’s removal, and use “lethal, kinetic strikes” to destroy narco-trafficking capability.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors…” —Hegseth ([43:25])
• “If you’re a soldier...and you receive an order...and you’re afraid that a Democrat is elected president in three years and you find yourself on the wrong end of a prosecution...You can’t have that for a successful military.” —Shapiro ([46:20])

6. U.S.-Venezuela Tensions & Regime Change Strategy

[46:50 – 51:00]

• Escalating Pressure:

  • U.S. closes airspace around Venezuela, moves major warships nearby, issues a direct ultimatum to Maduro: “Leave now or else.”
  • Venezuela locks down, revokes airline rights, mobilizes troops; Maduro flees toward the Brazilian border.

• Strategic Rationale:

  • Shapiro suggests the U.S. is betting on fractures within Maduro’s regime/military for a possible coup.
  • Notes historic precedents for regime change in Latin America: “Usually there is a split or defection inside the security forces surrounding the president or the dictator...” ([50:25])

7. Ukraine Peace Negotiations and Pressure

[51:00 – 55:00]

• Ongoing Peace Talks:
  • U.S. and Ukraine meet in Florida after a failed, Russian-leaning peace “plan” is rejected by Ukraine.
  • Sec. Marco Rubio: “This is not just about ending a war. This is about ending a war in a way that creates a mechanism...for independence and prosperity.” ([52:45])
  • Zelensky’s top aide forced to resign amid corruption investigation, illustrating ongoing instability in the Ukrainian government.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “If it looks like a Russian ultimatum, then probably it is. It comes from Russia.” —Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s FM ([54:30])

• Shapiro Conclusion: Warns against U.S. pressure leading to a bad deal or undermining Ukrainian sovereignty.

8. Key Takeaways & Themes

• Hardline Anti-Migration Stance:
  Trump is doubling down on reversing third world migration as a solution for recent terror incidents and perceived cultural erosion.

• Complexity of Radicalization:
  The threat isn’t just who comes in, but how immigrants (even those who served U.S. interests abroad) might be radicalized domestically.

• Fraud and “Culture Clash” Claims:
  Somali welfare fraud scandal is painted as indicative of broader, systemic flaws in migration and assimilation policy.

• Legal and Political Risks:
  The show details new terrain in political debate—whether U.S. military orders are criminal, how future administrations might prosecute them, and the policy minefields of regime change abroad.

• Demographics and Identity:
  Shapiro ties demographic change and ideological importation to existential challenges facing the U.S. and the West.

Memorable/Notable Moments

• [03:15]—Trump’s quote on denaturalization: “Denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility…”
• [14:10]—Shapiro’s concern: “The real problem is how he got radicalized after he came to the United States.”
• [30:25]—Kaisa Magan: “There’s a perception that forcefully tackling this issue might cause political backlash among the Somali community…”
• [32:15]—Trump on Ilhan Omar: “We should throw her the hell out of the country.”
• [35:05]—Shapiro: “Cultures…matter…bring people in en masse, that is going to change the cultural fabric of a country. Duh.”
• [43:25]—Hegseth: “The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narcoboats, and kill the narco terrorists…”
• [50:25]—Shapiro: “Usually there is a split or defection inside the security forces… [for regime change]”

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a comprehensive, detailed understanding of the episode’s arguments, major stories, and Sm notable quotes, while preserving Ben Shapiro’s signature tone. Timestamps included for reference to key segments.