(Image source from: x.com/WhiteHouse)
The Trump administration revealed on Tuesday that it would be increasing travel limitations to 20 more countries and the Palestinian Authority, effectively doubling the number of nations impacted by the extensive restrictions outlined earlier this year regarding who can travel to or settle in the US. The administration added five new countries and individuals using documents provided by the Palestinian Authority to the list of nations facing a complete travel ban to the US, alongside new rules for 15 other countries. This decision is part of ongoing initiatives by the administration aimed at making US entry requirements stricter for both travel and immigration, which critics argue unfairly hinders travel for people from a wide variety of countries. The government hinted that it would broaden these limitations following the arrest of an Afghan citizen suspected of shooting two National Guard members during Thanksgiving weekend. Those who already possess visas, are lawful permanent residents of the US, hold specific visa types like diplomats or athletes, or whose entry is deemed beneficial to the US, are exempt from these restrictions. The announcement stated that these modifications will start on January 1.
In June, President Donald Trump declared that citizens from 12 countries would be prohibited from entering the United States, while those from seven other countries would face limitations. This decision reinstated a key aspect of his initial term's policy. The original ban included nations like Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, and imposed tougher restrictions on visitors from countries like Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
On Tuesday, the Republican administration stated that it was adding Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria to the list of countries whose citizens are banned from entering the US. The administration also placed a full travel restriction on individuals holding travel documents from the Palestinian Authority, marking the latest limitation against Palestinians. Notably, South Sudan already had serious travel restrictions in place. Furthermore, 15 more countries will face partial restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
These restrictions apply to individuals wishing to visit the US or to immigrate there. The Trump administration explained in its announcement that many of the countries subject to the restrictions had “widespread corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records,” which complicated the process of verifying their citizens for travel to the US. Additionally, it stated that some nations had high numbers of individuals who overstayed their visas, refused to accept back their citizens whom the US aimed to deport, or exhibited a “general lack of stability and government control,” which made the vetting process challenging. The administration also expressed concerns regarding immigration enforcement, foreign policy, and national security that influenced this decision.
The Afghan man charged with shooting two National Guard members close to the White House has entered a not guilty plea for murder and assault. Following this event, the government introduced a series of immigration limits, which included tighter rules for individuals from the original 19 nations who are already in the US.
The news about the broader travel ban is expected to meet strong backlash from those who claim the administration is exploiting national security worries to broadly exclude people from various countries. “This extended ban does not aim for national security but is just another disgraceful effort to vilify individuals based on their origin," stated Laurie Ball Cooper, who is the vice president of US Legal Programs with the International Refugee Assistance Project. Supporters of Afghans who backed the US during the two-decade conflict in Afghanistan also expressed concern on Tuesday, mentioning that the revised travel ban no longer includes an exception for Afghans eligible for the Special Immigrant Visa. This particular visa is for Afghans who assisted the US military effort at significant personal risk.
No One Left Behind, an agency that has long advocated for the Special Immigrant Visa program, expressed being "deeply troubled" by this change. The organization acknowledged the president's focus on national security but argued that allowing Afghans who worked with the US to enter the country — after thorough checks — also enhances national security.
“While this change aims to review inconsistent vetting processes, it mistakenly limits those who have undergone some of the most stringent vetting in history: the wartime allies targeted by terrorists this statement aims to address,” the organization mentioned in a statement. Countries newly added to the list of banned or restricted nations responded late Tuesday, indicating they were assessing the situation. The government of Dominica, an island nation in the Caribbean, stated it was treating the matter with “the highest seriousness and urgency” and was contacting US officials to clarify the meaning of the restrictions and address any issues.
The ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda to the US, Ronald Saunders, commented that the “issue is quite serious," and he intends to seek further details from US officials concerning the new restrictions. The Trump administration also enhanced restrictions on some countries — Laos and Sierra Leone — that were previously on the partially restricted list and in one case — Turkmenistan — announced that the nation had improved enough to ease some travel restrictions for visitors from there. All other previous travel restrictions announced in June remain unchanged, according to the administration. The latest restrictions affecting Palestinians come months after the administration established limits that made it nearly impossible for anyone with a Palestinian Authority passport to obtain travel documents for visiting the US for work, leisure, or study. The announcement on Tuesday takes it even further, prohibiting individuals with Palestinian Authority passports from immigrating to the United States.
In explaining its choice on Tuesday, the government stated that a number of "terrorist organizations designated by the US are actively functioning in the West Bank or Gaza Strip and have killed American citizens." The government added that the recent conflict in those regions has "probably led to weakened vetting and screening processes."
