The administration of President Donald Trump announced a significant expansion of its contentious travel ban on Tuesday, December 16. The move adds five more countries to the list of nations whose citizens face a complete bar on entering the United States. It also imposes fresh partial restrictions on travellers from an additional fifteen countries, marking a continued effort to tighten American entry standards for both travel and immigration.
New Countries Added to Full Ban List
The White House confirmed that the list of countries now facing a full ban on US entry includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. In a notable addition, the administration also announced a complete restriction on individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.
Rationale and Background for the Expansion
The Trump administration justified this expansion in an official White House proclamation. It cited challenges in vetting travellers from the affected nations as the primary reason. The proclamation stated the restrictions are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the US lacks sufficient information to assess potential risks.
Specific issues highlighted include widespread corruption, unreliable civil documents, criminal records, high rates of visa overstays, and general instability in the listed countries. The administration also pointed to the need for better cooperation from foreign governments and the advancement of national security and counterterrorism objectives.
This policy expansion follows a recent incident in Washington, D.C., where two National Guard members were shot near the White House over the Thanksgiving weekend. Authorities have linked the attack to Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who obtained asylum in the United States in April.
Wider Impact on Immigration and Asylum
The expansion has immediate and far-reaching consequences for immigration processes. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed a pause on green card and naturalization applications from nationals of 19 countries previously affected by the earlier version of the travel ban. This has led to the postponement or cancellation of many green card interviews and citizenship ceremonies.
Furthermore, the administration has suspended all pending asylum decisions, regardless of the applicant's nationality, citing national security concerns. This freeze is part of a broader initiative to enhance immigration oversight and vetting procedures.
Details of Partial Restrictions
Fifteen countries have been newly added to the list facing partial travel restrictions. These nations are:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Dominica
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
This latest action builds upon the initial travel ban announced in June, which imposed full entry restrictions on citizens from twelve countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Partial restrictions at that time applied to visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
