US Plans Major Expansion of Travel Ban, Set to Cover Over 30 Countries

The United States is preparing a significant expansion of its travel restrictions, potentially widening the current ban from 19 countries to more than 30, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

Speaking on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, Noem confirmed the administration is in the final stages of evaluating which additional nations will face entry restrictions. Asked whether the list would include 32 countries, she declined to provide an exact figure, saying only that it is “over 30” and that the president continues to review the list.

Background of the Travel Restrictions

Earlier this year, a proclamation barred nationals from 12 countries entirely and imposed varying restrictions on seven more. The measures applied to long-term immigrants, tourists, students, and business travellers, with the administration citing national security concerns and the risk of infiltration by “foreign terrorists.”

Drivers Behind the Expansion

Noem said the administration’s primary concern is the inability of some governments to verify the identities of individuals attempting to enter the US. “If they don’t have a stable government… why should we allow people from that country to come here?” she said.

The push to broaden the blacklist has been under discussion for months. Internal State Department reports reviewed the addition of up to 36 countries, but recent events accelerated the timeline. The immediate catalyst was the fatal shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., by an Afghan national admitted through a 2021 resettlement program. Trump officials cited weaknesses in the vetting process as justification for broader restrictions.

Following the incident, President Trump called for an indefinite pause on migration from all “Third World countries.” The current list of 19 countries under scrutiny includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Burundi, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Broader Immigration Context

Since returning to office in January, Trump has emphasized stricter immigration enforcement—ramping up deportations, directing federal authorities to major cities, and tightening US-Mexico border controls. Expanding the travel ban represents a key policy move that could reshape legal immigration pathways, affecting global travel, student flows, refugee programs, and business mobility for millions.

With the list set to expand far beyond its current scope, the US is poised for one of the most significant overhauls of entry policy in years.