Trump expands U.S. travel ban to new countries

President Donald Trump expanded the U.S. travel ban to ban nationals of five additional countries and those traveling with documents issued by the Palestinian Authority from entering the United States.

The White House said the restrictions are intended to “protect the security of the United States” and will take effect on January 1.

Comprehensive entry restrictions will apply to people arriving from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders.

The government also moved Laos and Sierra Leone, which had previously been subject to partial restrictions, to to the full ban list It also imposed partial restrictions on 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Trump has tightened immigration controls since returning to the White House in January, saying the expanded travel ban was necessary because of what his administration said were flaws in overseas screening and vetting systems.

Officials cited high rates of visa overdues, unreliable civil records, corruption, terrorist activity and a lack of cooperation in accepting deported nationals.

The incident comes after an Afghan national was arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting two National Guard troops over the Thanksgiving weekend, an incident the White House pointed to as it highlighted its security concerns.

This is the third time Trump has implemented a travel ban.

During his first term, he introduced a similar order in 2017, sparking protests and legal challenges at home and abroad. The policy was later upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The White House said the restrictions would remain in place until affected countries show “credible improvements” in identity management, information sharing and cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities.

Some exceptions apply, and the ban does not affect lawful permanent residents, many existing visa holders, diplomats, or athletes traveling to major sporting events. Exemptions can also be granted on a case-by-case basis if travel is deemed to be in the national interest, officials said.

Countries with blanket restrictions:

Afghanistan
Burkina Faso
Myanmar
Chad
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Haiti
Iran
Laos
Libya
Mali
Niger
republic of congo
Sierra Leone
somalia
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Yemen
There will also be a general suspension of entry for individuals traveling with travel documents issued or recognized by the Palestinian Authority