US tightens entry rules: Travel ban hits 5 more countries, 15 others partially restricted

The Trump administration on Tuesday (December 16) announced an expansion of its travel ban, adding five more countries to the list of nations whose citizens are barred from entering the United States.

The move also imposes new restrictions on travel from an additional 15 countries, part of ongoing efforts to tighten US entry standards for travel and immigration.

Afghan shooting suspect

The action follows a recent incident in Washington, D.C., where two National Guard members were shot near the White House. Authorities have linked the attack to Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan who obtained asylum in the United States in April.

In June, President Donald Trump initially announced a travel ban affecting 12 countries and partial restrictions on seven others, reviving a policy widely associated with his first term.

At that time, the full ban included: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Partial restrictions applied to visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

New countries added to full ban

On Tuesday, the White House said the list of countries fully banned from US entry now includes: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria.

The administration also announced a complete restriction on people holding Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents.

Additional partial restrictions

Fifteen countries have been added to the list of nations facing partial restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Rationale behind the expansion

The Trump administration justified the move in a White House proclamation, citing issues with vetting travelers from the affected nations: “The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.”

The proclamation cited widespread corruption, unreliable civil documents, criminal records, high visa overstays, and general instability in the affected countries as reasons for the restrictions.

Immigration applications from 19 countries paused

The Donald Trump administration has expanded its immigration restrictions, pausing green card and citizenship applications from nationals of 19 countries previously affected by the US travel ban. The move also halts all pending asylum applications, regardless of the applicant’s nationality.

Existing travel ban

Under the initial travel ban, citizens from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen faced full entry restrictions. Partial restrictions applied to nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Immigration suspension

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that green card and naturalization applications from the 19 countries under the prior travel ban are on hold. As a result, many green card interviews and citizenship ceremonies have been postponed or canceled.

Asylum applications on hold

In addition to pausing new applications, the administration has suspended all pending asylum decisions, citing national security concerns. The review is part of broader efforts to tighten immigration oversight and vetting procedures.