The expanded restrictions come amid heightened security concerns following the killing of two US troops and a civilian in Syria, as President Donald Trump intensifies his hardline immigration agenda.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a significant expansion of the United States travel ban, barring nationals from seven additional countries — including Syria — as well as holders of Palestinian Authority passports from entering the country.
The White House said the decision is aimed at preventing the entry of foreign nationals who may pose a threat to Americans or seek to undermine US institutions, culture, and founding principles.
According to a presidential proclamation, the administration intends to stop individuals who “intend to threaten” the United States or destabilize its government and social fabric.
The move follows the killing of two US troops and a civilian in Syria just days earlier. Although the Trump administration has taken steps to re-engage Syria internationally following the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, the incident raised fresh security concerns. Syrian authorities said the suspect was a member of the security forces who was slated for dismissal over alleged extremist Islamist views.
In addition to Syria, the expanded full travel ban applies to several of the world’s poorest nations, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Laos.
Palestinian Authority passport holders have also been formally included, after having already faced informal travel restrictions. The administration said the policy reflects US solidarity with Israel amid growing recognition of a Palestinian state by countries such as France and Britain.
Beyond the full bans, Trump also imposed partial travel restrictions on citizens of several African nations, including Nigeria — Africa’s most populous country — as well as multiple Black-majority Caribbean states.
Ramping Up Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric
President Trump has recently intensified his rhetoric against immigrants, particularly those from Africa. At a rally last week, he used derogatory language to describe certain countries, arguing the US should instead prioritize immigrants from nations such as Norway and Sweden.
He also made controversial remarks about Somali immigrants following allegations that Somali Americans were involved in a fraud scheme tied to fictitious government contracts in Minnesota. Somalia is already among the countries under a full travel ban.
Other nations still subject to a complete ban include Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Sudan, and Yemen.
Last month, Trump further tightened restrictions on Afghan nationals, ending a program that had allowed entry for Afghans who assisted US forces against the Taliban. The decision followed an incident in which an Afghan veteran suffering from apparent post-traumatic stress shot two National Guard troops deployed in Washington.
Countries newly placed under partial restrictions — in addition to Nigeria — include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Some of these nations, including Angola, Senegal, and Zambia, have previously been hailed by former President Joe Biden as key US partners in Africa for their democratic commitments.
The White House cited high crime rates and deficiencies in passport record-keeping as reasons for the restrictions. However, it acknowledged “significant progress” by Turkmenistan, whose citizens will once again be eligible for US visas, albeit only as non-immigrants.
AFP