Trump expands travel ban and restrictions to include 20 new countries
2922 Mins Read
The Trump administration has announced a major expansion of US travel restrictions, adding 20 countries and people travelling on documents issued by the Palestinian Authority, bringing the total number of affected nations to 39.
Five countries now face a full travel ban: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria. In addition, people travelling on Palestinian Authority passports have been barred, extending earlier measures that had already made it extremely difficult for Palestinians to obtain US travel visas. Under the new rules, they are also prohibited from emigrating to the United States.
A further 15 countries are subject to partial restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The measures apply both to visitors and to those seeking to migrate.
These additions build on restrictions announced in June, when the administration imposed a full ban on citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Heightened restrictions were also placed on Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The new proclamation takes effect on 1 January and includes exemptions for lawful permanent US residents, existing visa holders, diplomats, athletes and individuals whose entry is deemed to be in the US national interest.
The administration said the affected countries were selected due to concerns such as corruption, unreliable civil documentation, high visa overstay rates, refusal to accept deported nationals, weak governance and broader national security considerations.
Critics argue the move amounts to collective punishment. Refugee groups warned that the updated ban removes protections for Afghans eligible for Special Immigrant Visas, despite their support for US forces. Several governments, including Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, said they were urgently seeking clarification from Washington.
The administration also adjusted earlier measures, tightening restrictions on Laos and Sierra Leone while slightly easing limits on Turkmenistan.
