The United States plans to significantly expand its travel ban, extending restrictions to citizens of more than 30 countries, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on Thursday. The announcement signals a major escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape immigration policy on security grounds.
In an interview on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle,” Noem was asked to confirm reports that the ban list would grow to include 32 nations. She responded, “I won’t be specific on the number, but it’s over 30, and the president is continuing to evaluate countries.”
Noem framed the expansion around national security and the ability of foreign governments to cooperate. “If they don’t have a stable government there, if they don’t have a country that can sustain itself and tell us who those individuals are and help us vet them, why should we allow people from that country to come here to the US?” she stated.
The current ban, established by a presidential proclamation in June 2025, restricts entry for citizens of 12 countries and imposes limitations on those from seven others. The policy applies to both immigrants and non-immigrants, including tourists, students, and business travellers.
.@Sec_Noem confirms the expanded travel ban will be "over 30" countries: "The President is continuing to evaluate countries." pic.twitter.com/W7h7TQVOHe
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 5, 2025The planned expansion follows a heightened focus on migration since the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last week. Investigators attribute the attack to an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement program that administration officials have criticised for insufficient vetting.
Read: Trump Administration Orders Heightened H-1B Visa Vetting
Days after the shooting, President Donald Trump vowed to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries.” This move aligns with a broader review ordered by Trump of asylum cases approved under the Biden administration and Green Cards issued to nationals of 19 specific countries.
Since returning to office in January 2025, the Trump administration has aggressively prioritised immigration enforcement, including deploying federal agents to major cities and turning asylum seekers away at the U.S.-Mexico border. The travel ban expansion represents a pronounced shift toward restructuring legal immigration pathways, an area that had previously received less public emphasis than border enforcement.
