The Trump administration on Tuesday announced a major expansion of travel restrictions, adding 20 more countries and individuals travelling on documents issued by the Palestinian Authority to the list of those facing limits on entry into the United States. The move effectively doubles the number of nations affected by sweeping travel and immigration restrictions unveiled earlier this year.
According to the proclamation, five additional countries have been placed under a complete ban on travel to the US, while fresh restrictions have been imposed on 15 other countries. Travellers using documents issued by the Palestinian Authority have also been included in the full ban category.
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The administration said the decision is part of its broader effort to tighten US entry standards for travel and immigration. Officials indicated that the expansion followed security concerns, including the recent arrest of an Afghan national suspected in the shooting of two National Guard troops over the Thanksgiving weekend. However, critics have argued that the policy unfairly targets people from a wide range of countries and unnecessarily restricts lawful travel.
The restrictions include several exemptions. Individuals who already hold valid US visas, lawful permanent residents, and those travelling under specific visa categories such as diplomats or athletes are not affected. Exceptions also apply in cases where entry is deemed to be in the national interest of the United States.
The proclamation stated that the expanded travel restrictions will come into force on January 1.
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