Trump Expands US Travel Ban to Five More Countries

By Blessing Nweke

President Donald Trump has expanded a US travel ban to include nationals of five additional countries and people travelling on Palestinian Authority-issued documents, significantly widening restrictions introduced earlier in his second term.

The White House said the new measures, which will take effect on 1 January, are intended “to protect the security of the United States” by addressing what the administration describes as weaknesses in overseas screening and vetting systems.

Under the order, full-entry bans will apply to travellers from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria. Individuals using Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed travel documents will also be barred from entering the US. In addition, Laos and Sierra Leone, which had previously faced partial restrictions, have been moved to the full ban list.

The administration also imposed partial restrictions on travellers from 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, alongside several nations in Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.

Trump, who has prioritised tougher immigration enforcement since returning to office in January, said the expanded ban was necessary because some countries had failed to meet US standards on identity verification and information-sharing. Officials cited high visa overstay rates, unreliable civil records, corruption, terrorist activity and a lack of cooperation in accepting deported nationals.

The announcement followed the arrest of an Afghan national suspected of shooting two National Guard troops over the Thanksgiving weekend, an incident the White House referenced in underscoring its security concerns.

This marks the third time Trump has imposed a travel ban. During his first term, a similar policy introduced in 2017 sparked widespread protests and legal challenges, though it was later upheld by the US Supreme Court.

The White House said the restrictions would remain in place until affected countries demonstrate “credible improvements” in identity management, data-sharing and cooperation with US immigration authorities.

Several exemptions apply. The ban will not affect lawful permanent residents, diplomats, many existing visa holders or athletes travelling for major international sporting events. Officials also said case-by-case waivers would be available when travel is deemed to be in the US national interest.