DHS suggests expanding travel ban list to include at least 10 additional countries

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has advised that the administration expand the existing travel restrictions list from 19 to 3032 countries, according to an informed source. This recommendation comes shortly after a deadly shooting in Washington, DC, that claimed the life of a National Guard member and critically injured another.

The individual responsible for the attack was an Afghan national who had collaborated with U.S. forces in Afghanistan, later resettled in Washington state under the Biden administration, and received asylum during the Trump administration.

Noem stated that after consulting with President Donald Trump, she proposed a comprehensive travel ban targeting nations she described as posing threats to national security. Citizens from countries on the ban list are subject to travel restrictions when entering the United States.

The source indicated that the list could grow further following continuous evaluations, though the identities of the additional countries and the timeline for the announcement remain undisclosed. Currently, the travel-restricted countries include Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Previously, President Trump noted that certain countries had inadequate passport and documentation screening procedures or had refused to repatriate their own citizens, prompting the need for restrictions.

The situation is ongoing, and updates are expected as new information becomes available.

Author: Logan Reeves