Trump Expands List of Countries Restricted for Entry into the U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump has expanded the list of countries whose citizens face limitations and restrictions on entry into the United States, the White House announced.

According to Washington, the decision aims to protect U.S. territory from "threats" to national and public security. It states that the measures are necessary to "impede the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, obtain the cooperation of foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives."

The measure, the administration indicates, maintains the "complete entry restrictions and limitations" for nationals of the 12 countries deemed "high-risk," established in Proclamation 10949: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

It now adds "complete restrictions and limitations on entry" for five additional countries based on recent analysis: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. It also adds, as detailed by the White House, persons holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.

Changes in Partial Restriction

In the previous listing from last June, Trump had partially restricted entry for persons from seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

In the new measure, he maintains the partial restriction on Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela; meanwhile, Laos and Sierra Leone move to "complete restrictions and limitations on entry."

Regarding Turkmenistan, it is explained that, as the country has productively cooperated with the U.S. and demonstrated significant progress since the previous decision, the "nonimmigrant visa ban is now lifted, while maintaining the suspension of the entry of Turkmen citizens as immigrants."

However, 15 other countries are added to the list of "partial restrictions and limitations on entry": Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Clarification

The White House clarifies that Trump's new measure includes exceptions for "legal permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories such as for athletes and diplomats, and individuals whose entry benefits the national interests" of the United States.

Furthermore, it "scales back broad family-based immigrant visa exceptions that carry demonstrated fraud risks, while maintaining case-by-case waivers."