Foreign nationals from more than two dozen nations may soon be blocked from entering the United States as the Trump administration considers widening its travel restrictions.
A source confirmed to that officials are examining a revised list covering at least 30 countries, with the option to expand it further, reports the New York Post.
“We will be announcing the list soon,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem signalled on Monday night that she had proposed a far tougher approach, telling followers on X that she recommended adding more countries during a meeting with President Trump.
Noem said the list should include “every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies”.
She added: “Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom — not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON’T WANT THEM. NOT ONE.”
Move follows deadly Washington attack
Her recommendation comes as the administration intensifies its response to immigration issues after the Thanksgiving eve attack on two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, DC.
Following the incident, officials announced a freeze on asylum decisions and a review of more than 720,000 green card holders from 19 “countries of concern”. The investigation was launched after Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, allegedly killed Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically injured Andrew Wolfe, 24, near the White House.
Visa processing paused for Afghan nationals
The State Department has also halted issuing visas for those travelling on Afghan passports in the wake of the attack.
Lakanwal had entered the US legally in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era programme that relocated Afghan evacuees following the chaotic US withdrawal. He was granted asylum in April, which made him eligible to apply for a green card after a year.
Citizenship ceremonies suspended
US Citizenship and Immigration Services has now paused naturalization ceremonies for some applicants from the 19 countries already included on Trump’s travel ban list unveiled earlier this year.
ABC News reported that individuals from Venezuela, Iran and Afghanistan had their swearing-in ceremonies scheduled for later this week cancelled after the attack.
A DHS spokesperson told The Post: “The Trump Administration is making every effort to ensure individuals becoming citizens are the best of the best. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right. We will take no chances when the future of our nation is at stake.
“The Trump Administration is reviewing all immigration benefits granted by the Biden administration to aliens from Countries of Concern.”
Details of June proclamation
In June, Trump signed a proclamation to “fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals” from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
The order also placed partial restrictions on seven additional nations: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The 19-nation restriction was issued shortly after a firebombing attack in Colorado that authorities allege was committed by an Egyptian national who had overstayed a tourist visa.
During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump singled out Somalia, which already appears on the list.
“Somalians ripped off [Minnesota] for billions of dollars,” he said, referring to fraud cases that have drawn scrutiny in the state.
“They contribute nothing,” he added about Somali immigrants. “I don’t want them in our country.”
Noem outlines visa fraud findings
Noem said she reviewed visa fraud in Minnesota at the president’s request and found that “50% of them are fraudulent.”
“We’re going to remove them and get our money back,” she said, claiming that fraudulent visa holders enrolled in government programmes and took “hundreds of billions of dollars” in taxpayer-funded benefits.
As part of the focus on Somali nationals, the administration is preparing an “intensive immigration enforcement operation” targeting Minneapolis and St. Paul, which have large Somali communities, according to the New York Times.
The White House had earlier announced the end of temporary protected status — which offers work permits and deportation relief — for Somali migrants.
