The United States is weighing a proposal to expand its travel ban from the current list of 19 high-risk countries to 30 while pausing all immigration applications from their nationals following the shooting of National Guard soldiers by an Afghan migrant.
Currently, 19 countries whose nationals face travel restrictions under President Donald Trump‘s proclamation include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
Multiple American media outlets citing unnamed officials reported the plan under consideration could significantly broaden the scope of the presidential proclamation.
According to CBS News, the plan is in preliminary phase, and the number of new additions may change while CNN reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has recommended expanding the travel ban to between 30 and 32 countries.
I just met with the President.
I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.
Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom—not for foreign…
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) December 1, 2025
Meanwhile, ABC News, citing a DHS spokesperson, reported the announcement about the additional countries could be made “soon.”
Homeland Security Secretary Noem had a meeting with President Trump on Monday after which she called for imposing “a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.”
“Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom—not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS,” Noem wrote in a post on her X platform account.
The U.S. Administration has paused all immigration applications filed by people from 19 countries.
Leaders have a duty to defend and advance the interests of their own people — not foreign nationals.
That is why President Trump is more committed than ever to fully restoring American sovereignty by keeping our borders secure, removing all illegal alien invaders, and rebuilding… pic.twitter.com/2514QyhX6X
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) December 1, 2025
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in a memo to its personnel directed to place a hold on all Forms I-589 (Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal), regardless of the alien’s country of nationality, pending a comprehensive review.
The memo notes that recently the United States has seen what a lack of screening, vetting, and prioritizing expedient adjudications can do to the American people.
“An Afghan national, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, planned a terrorist attack in the United States on Election Day 2024. Tawhedi pled guilty in federal court to conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).8 In another instance, an Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is suspected of planning and executing a terrorist attack in Washington, DC against two National Guard members, one who was killed and another who remains critically injured.”
It said the USCIS plays an instrumental role in preventing terrorists from seeking safe haven in the United States and ensuring that agency’s screening and vetting and adjudications prioritize the safety of the American people and uphold all U.S. laws.
.@Sec_Noem on the National Guards attacker: “We believe he was radicalized since he has been here in this country. We do believe that it was through connections in his home community and state… Unvetted by Joe Biden, allowed to run free.” pic.twitter.com/6X2YtMMmTl
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 30, 2025
“In light of identified concerns and the threat to the American people, USCIS has determined that a comprehensive re-review, potential interview, and re-interview of all aliens from high-risk countries of concern who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021, is necessary.
“Lastly, USCIS may, when appropriate, extend this review and re-interview process to aliens who entered the United States outside of this timeframe.”
ABC News, citing unnamed sources, reported that that some naturalization ceremonies for people who were scheduled to be sworn in as U.S. citizens from the 19 countries have been placed on pause. Naturalization ceremonies which were to take place later this week were canceled for nationals from Venezuela, Iran, and Afghanistan.
Ali Imran is a Washington-based journalist, who has worked for leading world news organizations as correspondent, expert and in editorial positions. He is a published author and poet.
