U.S. to widen travel ban to more than 30 countries

The United States plans to extend its travel ban to over 30 countries, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Thursday.

In an interview on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle", Noem was asked to confirm whether the Trump administration would increase the number of countries on the travel ban list to 32.

She responded, "I won’t be specific on the number, but it’s over 30, and the president is continuing to evaluate countries."

President Trump issued a proclamation in June banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. and imposing restrictions on those from seven others, citing the need to protect against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats.

The bans affect both immigrants and non-immigrants, including tourists, students, and business travellers.

Noem did not specify which countries would be added to the list. She explained, "If they don’t have a stable government, if they can’t sustain themselves and tell us who the individuals are and help us vet them, why should we allow people from that country to come here?"

Reuters had previously reported that the Trump administration was considering banning citizens of 36 additional countries, according to an internal State Department cable.

Expanding the list would mark an escalation in migration measures the administration has implemented since the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last week.

Investigators say the attack was carried out by an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement programme, which Trump administration officials have argued lacked proper vetting.

Following the shooting, Trump pledged to "permanently pause" migration from all "Third World Countries," although he did not specify which countries this referred to or provide a definition for "Third World countries."

Earlier, officials from the Department of Homeland Security indicated that Trump had ordered a comprehensive review of asylum cases approved under President Joe Biden's administration and Green Cards issued to citizens from 19 countries.

Since resuming office in January, Trump has aggressively focused on immigration enforcement, sending federal agents to major U.S. cities and blocking asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

While his administration has frequently emphasised deportation efforts, it has previously placed less emphasis on reshaping legal immigration policies.

Copied