U.S. President Donald Trump has expanded the United States travel ban to include nationals of seven additional countries, among them Syria, as well as holders of Palestinian Authority passports. The decision was announced by the White House on Tuesday through a formal proclamation.
According to the proclamation, the ban targets foreign nationals deemed to pose security risks or capable of undermining U.S. institutions and national values. The move follows recent security incidents in Syria and comes amid the Trump administration’s broader push for stricter immigration controls.
The newly added countries under the full travel ban include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Laos and Syria. Palestinian Authority passport holders are also affected. The administration cited concerns ranging from security threats to deficiencies in passport and record-keeping systems.
In addition to the full bans, partial travel restrictions were imposed on several countries, including Nigeria, Angola, Senegal, Zambia and other African and Caribbean nations. While these restrictions are less severe, they still limit certain visa categories and entry conditions.
The White House alleged that high crime rates and weak documentation processes informed the decision, though it acknowledged progress by Turkmenistan, which has now been cleared for limited non-immigrant visa access.
