President Donald Trump’s administration plans to extend its travel restrictions to nationals from over 30 countries, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
This builds on the June ban that fully barred entry from 12 nations—including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—while partially limiting seven others like Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The expansion follows the November 26 shooting in Washington, D.C., where Afghan immigrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal, granted asylum earlier this year, allegedly killed National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe; he has pleaded not guilty.
“I won’t be specific on the number, but it’s over 30. And the president is continuing to evaluate countries,” Noem confirmed in a Fox News interview.
“If they don’t have a stable government there, if they don’t have a country that can sustain itself and tell us who those individuals are and help us vet them, why should we allow people from that country to come here to the United States?” she added.
Post-incident measures include halting asylum decisions, pausing benefits for those from the initial 19 countries, stopping visas for Afghan U.S. allies, and shortening work permits for refugees to require frequent re-vetting.
Supporters see it as vital security amid vetting gaps from unstable regions; critics call it collective punishment for already-screened individuals. The full list is expected soon.