Summary:
- Trump expanded U.S. travel restrictions to 20 countries and the Palestinian Authority.
- Five countries face full bans, 15 partial and Palestinian Authority travel is blocked.
- The administration did not say when the measures take effect.
U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD Trump signed a proclamation expanding U.S. travel restrictions to 20 additional countries and the Palestinian Authority, further limiting who can visit or immigrate to the U.S. Five countries are under a full travel ban, 15 face partial restrictions and travel using Palestinian Authority-issued documents is fully restricted.
The White House said the decision is part of efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards, citing security concerns and the recent arrest of an Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard troops near the White House two days before Thanksgiving.
The restrictions include exemptions for valid visa holders, lawful permanent residents, diplomats, athletes and certain other visa holders, according to IANS. Entry may also be allowed if it serves U.S. interests.
However, the administration did not specify when the measures will take effect.
Trump announced the original restrictions in June, barring citizens of 12 countries from entering the U.S. and imposing partial limits on nationals of seven others, reviving a policy from his first term.
The June ban applied to Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, with partial restrictions on Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
On Tuesday, the administration added Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria to the full-ban list and fully restricted travel for holders of Palestinian Authority-issued documents. South Sudan had already been under partial limits.
The 15 countries added to the partial-restriction list were Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The restrictions apply to visitors and immigrants, affecting both short-term and permanent entry.
In his proclamation, Trump said many affected countries have "corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records." The administration said these issues make it hard to vet travelers and cited high visa overstay rates.
Travel bans were a major issue during Trump’s first term, prompting protests and legal challenges. Courts later upheld revised versions. Supporters say they protect national security; critics say they target people based on origin.
