US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristin Naveem has said that the US plans to add more than 30 countries to its travel ban program.
According to Reuters, Kristin Naveem told in an interview that President Donald Trump’s administration is reviewing different countries and citizens from different countries may be banned from entering the US in the future. “I won’t give a specific number, but it’s more than 30, and President Trump will continue to review countries,” she said.
The measures come after a National Guardsman was killed and another was injured in a shooting near the White House on November 26. The attacker was a 29-year-old Afghan national who came to the United States in 2021 and was granted asylum. The attacker had previously worked with several US government agencies, including the CIA.
New visas and asylum cases for Afghans were temporarily suspended after the shooting, and President Trump has since reopened the current travel ban on citizens from 19 countries.
Christine Noveme did not specify which countries would be added to the list, but Reuters previously reported that the number could be as high as 36.
President Trump said on November 28 that he was considering permanently banning refugees from “third world countries,” although he did not name any specific countries or define “third world countries.”
Under new measures in the United States, many people, including immigrants, tourists, students, and business travelers, may be banned from entering the United States.
Read also: Trump administration to reassess all Afghan immigrants amid security concerns
