U.S. Weighs Expansion of Travel Ban to Over 30 Countries, Says Homeland Security Chief

The United States is preparing to significantly widen its travel ban to include more than 30 countries, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a televised interview on Thursday. While declining to confirm whether the total would reach 32 as previously reported, Noem said President Donald Trump is “continuing to evaluate countries” based on their ability to provide reliable vetting information and maintain stable governance.

The potential expansion follows a June proclamation that barred citizens of 12 countries from entering the U.S. and imposed restrictions on travelers from seven more, covering both immigrant and non-immigrant categories. Reuters previously revealed that an internal State Department cable indicated the administration was considering adding 36 additional countries. The move comes in the wake of the fatal shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., allegedly by an Afghan national who entered the country through a resettlement program in 2021, fueling renewed scrutiny of vetting procedures.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has sharply intensified immigration enforcement, ordering reviews of asylum cases approved under the Biden administration and Green Cards issued to citizens of 19 nations. He has also pledged to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries,” though without specifying which nations fall under that definition. The administration’s shift toward tightening legal immigration policies underscores its broader strategy to overhaul the U.S. immigration system.

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