United States planning further travel bans on several more countries

The United States is planning to impose travel bans on several more countries. On Thursday (4 December), US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that the number of countries currently under travel restrictions will exceed 30.

In an interview on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, Noem said that President Donald Trump is continuing the assessment of countries, and the final list of those to be added has not yet been confirmed.

Last June, Trump barred citizens from 12 countries, followed by restrictions on nationals from another seven. Noem explained that the ban applies to both immigrant and non-immigrant categories, including tourists, students and business travellers.

Noem added, ‘If a country’s government is not stable or does not assist in verifying its citizens, then why should we allow them entry into the United States?’

According to Reuters, the administration is considering imposing restrictions on citizens of an additional 36 countries. If expanded, the ban will reinforce security measures introduced after a recent shooting in Washington, D.C., involving two National Guard members.

Investigations revealed that the shooting was carried out by an Afghan national who had entered the US through a resettlement programme in 2021. A few days after the incident, Trump pledged to permanently halt immigration from third-world countries, although none was specifically named.

Earlier, officials of the Department of Homeland Security indicated that Trump had reviewed asylum cases approved under his predecessor Joe Biden’s administration, along with green cards issued to citizens of 19 countries. Since assuming office, Trump has prioritised immigration enforcement, deploying federal agents to cities and turning away asylum seekers at the border.

Khaborwala/SS