The Trump administration has amped up the crackdown on who can enter the United States and start a new life here.
The administration said Tuesday that it is widening its travel crackdown to cover 20 additional countries and people traveling on Palestinian Authority documents, a move that sharply expands the limits first rolled out earlier this year. The changes affect both short-term visitors and those hoping to immigrate to the United States, with the new restrictions scheduled to take effect on January 1.
The updated policy divides the world into two categories: a full ban for certain countries and a partial restriction for others. Five more countries will face a full ban: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. The administration also announced a full travel restriction for individuals using Palestinian Authority-issued documents, a significant escalation impacting Palestinians.
Fifteen additional countries were added to the partial restriction list: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
NEW: President Trump is expanding the previous 19-country travel ban to a whopping 39 countries (plus the Palestinian Authority), and appears to expand a block on legal immigration to now include spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens, who were previously exempted. https://t.co/2VSmYv5p0Z pic.twitter.com/nL6unPqM4H
— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) December 16, 2025
The White House described the expansion as a security issue, citing concerns over unreliable or fake documents, corruption, high visa overstay rates, and governments that do not cooperate well with deportations. It also mentioned instability and weak government control in some countries, making vetting challenging. The administration linked this step to immigration enforcement, foreign policy, and national security.
Officials suggested the crackdown picked up speed after an Afghan national was arrested for shooting two National Guard troops over Thanksgiving weekend. The suspect pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges. Following this incident, the administration introduced a wave of new restrictions, including tighter limits for people from countries already affected earlier this year.
There are some exceptions, but they are limited to people who already have visas, lawful permanent residents, certain visa categories like diplomats or athletes, and those whose entry is considered to serve U.S. interests are exempt under the proclamation.
Nonetheless, critics argue that the policy unfairly affects ordinary travelers and families based on their countries of origin.
“This expanded ban is not about national security; it’s another disgraceful attempt to demonize people simply for where they come from,” said Laurie Ball Cooper, vice president of U.S. Legal Programs at the International Refugee Assistance Project.
Advocates for Afghans who helped the U.S. during the war also disagreed, noting that the updated restrictions no longer include an exemption for Afghans eligible for Special Immigrant Visas. This pathway was designed for wartime partners who assisted the United States at great personal risk. The group No One Left Behind expressed its deep concern over this change, arguing that those allies have already undergone extensive vetting.
This expansion builds upon a June proclamation that revived a key first-term policy. At that time, the administration banned citizens from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. It also imposed stricter restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
