Trump Administration Plans Major Expansion of US Travel Ban to 30+ Countries

The Trump administration is preparing to widen its travel ban to include more than 30 countries, marking a significant expansion of existing restrictions.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed during a televised interview that the list of affected nations will increase, though she declined to give a precise number. She later reiterated her stance on social media, saying she had recommended a “full travel ban” on countries she claimed were sending dangerous or unproductive migrants to the United States.

The administration has already introduced extensive limits on entry. In June, President Trump issued a proclamation blocking citizens from 12 countries and tightening rules for seven others, citing security concerns. These restrictions applied to immigrants as well as tourists, students, and business travellers.

According to a Reuters report based on an internal State Department cable, officials are now considering extending the ban to as many as 36 additional countries. The review followed the fatal shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., in which the suspect was identified as an Afghan national who arrived in 2021 through a resettlement programme criticised by Trump allies for weak screening. 

The president subsequently pledged to “permanently pause” migration from what he referred to as “Third World Countries,” without specifying which nations he meant. The tightening of rules has disrupted immigration processes for thousands of applicants. 

Reporting by The New York Times indicates that applications from 19 previously restricted countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela, have been frozen. The freeze has halted key steps such as green card interviews, naturalisation ceremonies, and citizenship applications. 

Some applicants who had waited months or years for appointments have been turned away, with officials stating that only the “most trustworthy” candidates should receive permanent residency or citizenship. Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson for US Citizenship and Immigration Services, said: “Citizenship is a privilege, not a right.”

The wider impact is substantial. More than 1.5 million pending asylum cases could be affected, and over 50,000 decisions approved under the Biden administration are now under review. The administration has also ordered a broad reassessment of asylum and green card rulings issued during the previous presidency.