Donald Trump’s travel ban on nations to be extended to ‘over 30 countries’, Homeland secy Kristi Noem confirms

Without being specific about the names, Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said the list will include those countries which do not have a “stable government” which cannot aid in vetting the individuals seeking refuge.

The Trump administration announced several restrictions, including, travel ban, a pause on asylum decisions, re-examining green card applications for people from several countries this year. (AP Photo)

In view of the deadly shooting in Washington DC last week, Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday confirmed US President Donald Trump’s administration plan to expand the list of countries covered by its travel ban to more than 30. Without being specific about the names, Noem said the list will include those countries which do not have a “stable government” and cannot aid in vetting the individuals seeking refuge. “I won’t be specific on the number, but it’s over 30, and the president is continuing to evaluate countries,” Noem said in an interview on Fox News.

Afghan shooter kills one National Guard Member

The Trump administration had announced several restrictions, including, travel ban, a pause on asylum decisions, re-examining green card applications for people from several countries this year. The list is being expanded in the wake of the shooting at Washington DC last week that left one National Guard personnel dead and another seriously injured.

The shooter was Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, who entered the US in 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome, a federal relocation programme for those who aided Washington during the war in Afghanistan.

Trump on Thursday said: “Andrew [Wolfe] is getting better; Sarah [Beckstrom], unfortunately, is watching from on high — watching from Heaven… I just want to pay my respects to those two incredible people.”

At the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, @POTUS recognizes our National Guard heroes:

“Andrew is getting better; Sarah, unfortunately, is watching from on high — watching from Heaven… I just want to pay my respects to those two incredible people.” 🙏 pic.twitter.com/6zA8n83A4u

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 4, 2025

In light of the shooting, Noem said in a post to X on Monday that she was “recommending a full travel ban on every d— country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.” Sources in the DHS familiar with the matter told NBC News on Thursday that the list of countries with a travel ban on them could be expanded.

This is not the first time Trump imposed a travel ban. During his first term, the President banned people from several Muslim majority countries from entering the US.

Trump 2.0 and immigration

Even before the DC shootout, the Trump administration had been planning a sweeping review of tens of thousands of immigrants who entered the US during the Biden administration as part of the US Refugee Assistance Program, news agency AP reported.

Since returning to power in January, Trump has cracked down on immigration as he had promised on the campaign trail. In June, citing national security concerns, the administration banned travel to the US by citizens of 12 countries and restricted access for those from the seven others.

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The ban applied to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. People from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela faced restricted access to the US.

No action was taken against immigrants from those countries who were already in the US before the travel ban went into effect.

However, after the shooting, a memo from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Tuesday stated that a comprehensive re-review, potential interview, and re-interview of all aliens from high-risk countries of concern who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021 (the date on which former President Joe Biden took office) is necessary.”

This is not the first time Trump imposed a travel ban. During his first term, the President banned people from several Muslim majority countries from entering the US.

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