Trump Expands US Travel Ban, Adds 20 More Countries to Restricted List
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a proclamation further restricting the entry of foreign nationals into the United States, the White House announced. The new decree expands the list of countries with entry restrictions, adding 20 more nations, including several African and Arab countries, and imposes new limits on others. The move, part of the administration's ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. entry requirements and immigration standards, nearly doubles the number of countries under U.S. travel restrictions to 39.
Background and Context
The decision follows the arrest of an Afghan national suspect in the shooting of two National Guard troops over Thanksgiving weekend. The administration also fully restricted travel on people with Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents. The restrictions are aimed at nationals from countries deemed high-risk due to demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing
that threaten United States national security and public safety, according to the proclamation.
Key Developments and Details
The expanded ban will impose full restrictions and entry limitations on nationals from five countries – Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, and individuals holding Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents. The rule also extends to seven other nations, including Laos and Sierra Leone, effectively doubling the number of countries with travel restrictions.
The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,
the proclamation states.
Implications and Reactions
The move has sparked reactions both domestically and internationally. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, criticized the expansion stating, This administration's racist cruelty knows no limits, expanding their travel ban to include even more African and Muslim-majority countries, even Palestinians fleeing a genocide.
The new restrictions are set to further strain U.S.-Africa relations and disrupt travel, education, and business links across the continent, according to Nairobi-based Capital FM.
Conclusion
The expanded travel ban, which now affects more than 35 countries, has caused concerns over the United States' international relations, particularly with Africa. The new restrictions, now affecting a majority of African nations, have been imposed amidst ongoing debates on immigration and national security in the U.S., with the Trump administration citing security concerns as the primary reasoning behind the decision.