Over 30 Countries Could Face U.S. Travel Ban, Says Homeland Security Chief

More than 30 countries may soon be added to the United States’ travel ban list, hinted U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She made the remarks during an interview with Fox News on Thursday, 4 December.

Asked whether the Trump administration’s travel-ban list would ultimately include 32 countries, Noem replied, “I won’t give a specific number, but it is above 30, and the President is continuing evaluations of various countries.”

In June, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation barring citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States and imposing limited restrictions on seven others. The administration said the measures were necessary to prevent entry of “foreign terrorists” and other security threats. The restrictions apply not only to immigrants but also to non-immigrants, including tourists, students, and business travelers.

Noem did not name any of the countries under consideration.

She said, “If a country does not have a stable government, cannot verify the identities of its citizens, or cannot assist in our vetting process, then why should we allow its citizens to enter the United States?”

A previous Reuters report, citing an internal State Department cable, noted that the Trump administration was considering banning citizens of an additional 36 countries.

If the list is expanded, it would mark another major tightening of the administration’s immigration policies. The move has gained urgency following last week’s killing of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. Investigators said the attacker was an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 under a resettlement program.

Following the incident, Trump announced he would indefinitely suspend all immigration from “third countries,” though he did not specify which ones.

Earlier, officials from the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Trump has ordered a review of asylum approvals granted during the Biden administration as well as green cards issued to citizens of 19 countries.