ISLAMABAD – Traveling to US just got tougher as President Donald Trump expanded travel ban, putting citizens from seven more countries in dire straits. Those planning to US now face new hurdles as US administration cites security risks and weak screening systems in affected nations.
Trump dramatically expanded US travel ban, slapping sweeping entry restrictions on citizens from seven additional countries, including Syria in move that intensified debate over immigration, national security, and US foreign policy.
White House said Trump signed new proclamation on Tuesday aimed at “strengthening and expanding” entry limits on countries that Washington says have serious and ongoing failures in screening, vetting, and information-sharing. Officials argued decision was necessary to protect the United States from national security and public safety threats.
Under expanded order, nationals of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, along with individuals holding Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents, are now completely barred from entering the US.
The action also upgrades restrictions on Laos and Sierra Leone, shifting them from partial limitations to a full travel ban. The new measures are set to take effect on January 1.
The decision comes amid sharp contradictions in US policy toward Syria. Just weeks earlier, Trump had pledged to support Syria’s success following landmark talks in November with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda-linked figure who until recently was sanctioned by Washington. Sharaa’s rise to power followed the dramatic ousting of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, and he has since toured world capitals portraying himself as a moderate leader seeking to reunify Syria and end its long isolation.
That diplomatic opening quickly unraveled after a deadly attack in Syria left two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter dead. The US military said the convoy of American and Syrian forces was targeted by a suspected Islamic State militant who was later killed. Trump condemned the assault as “terrible” and warned of “very serious retaliation” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
White House cited high visa overstay rates and weak state institutions as key reasons for Syria’s inclusion in the ban. Officials said the country remains without a reliable central authority capable of issuing secure passports or civil documents and lacks effective screening and vetting systems, despite ongoing coordination with the United States on security matters.
The expanded ban builds on earlier actions taken by Trump in June, when he imposed full entry prohibitions on citizens from 12 countries and partial restrictions on seven others, measures that remain in force. The bans apply broadly to immigrants and non-immigrants alike, including tourists, students, and business travelers.
POTUS now placed 15 additional countries under partial entry restrictions. Among them is Nigeria, which has come under intense scrutiny from the administration. Trump earlier threatened military action over what he described as the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, claims Nigerian officials strongly reject, saying they misrepresent a complex security crisis and overlook efforts to protect religious freedom.
Since returning to office in January, Trump aggressively ramped up immigration enforcement, dispatching federal agents to major US cities, pushing back asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border, and making border control a centerpiece of his agenda.
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