US plans sweeping travel restrictions; over 30 nations may be added to new ban list after DC shooting

The United States may ban entry to foreign nationals from more than two dozen additional countries, as President Donald Trump considers a significantly expanded travel ban in the wake of an attack in Washington DC involving two West Virginia National Guard members.

Major expansion under consideration

As per a report by News 18, reports say the administration is preparing to designate at least 30 countries to an updated list of restricted countries, a move expected to be among the harshest immigration control measures in years. A spokesperson with the Department of Homeland Security said the revised list would be published shortly.

Also Read | US to review Green Cards from 19 countries after White House shooting: What it means for Indians?

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem suggested a sweeping overhaul, revealing she had proposed a “full travel ban” during a meeting with Trump. On X, she wrote that she wanted to add “every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies,” insisting that the nation must not accept “foreign invaders.” She wrote, “Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom – not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes or drain tax dollars”. “WE DON’T WANT THEM. NOT ONE”, she concluded.

Triggered by Washington DC attack

The push for stricter controls comes after last week's attack in Washington, DC, where Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly killed 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and critically injured 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, both serving with the West Virginia National Guard.

In response, the federal government has halted all asylum decisions and begun re-evaluating more than 720,000 green card holders from 19 countries already marked as "countries of concern." The State Department has also paused visa processing for Afghan passport holders.

Lakanwal had entered the US legally in 2021 under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome programme and was granted asylum in April this year.

Citizenship and immigration in the dock

According to the report, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has suspended some naturalisation ceremonies for nationals from countries already on the summer travel ban list. It is reported that those from Venezuela, Iran, and Afghanistan had their ceremonies cancelled after the DC incident.

Also Read | ‘It wasn’t the brain’: Donald Trump defends health after MRI as Mar-a-Lago photo sparks concern

A DHS spokesperson said the administration would take "no chances when the future of our nation is at stake," reiterating that citizenship is “a privilege, not a right.”

Existing restrictions

Trump's June proclamation already fully restricted entry from 12 countries - including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, and Somalia - and imposed partial restrictions on seven others. The order came after an antisemitic firebombing in Colorado by an Egyptian national. The current list of 19 countries facing full or partial restrictions includes: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.