US Homeland Security Secretary Suggests Increasing Travel Prohibitions Against Nations “Flooding” America With Illicit Activities
Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security for the United States, has suggested extending travel restrictions to other nations that are “overflowing” the US with criminal activity.
Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, has declared her intention to suggest a travel ban on a number of nations that she believes are “flooding” the US with criminal activity.
After meeting with President Donald Trump, Noem said on social media Monday that she will propose “a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.” On their official social media pages, Trump and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also shared Noem’s tweet.
When the planned ban would go into effect and which nations would be impacted are still unknown. The plan would broaden Trump’s previous travel restrictions on “third world and failed state” nations, which were first declared some months ago, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. The government announced in June that 19 nations, primarily in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, would be subject to complete or partial immigration restrictions.
Noem’s statement comes after two National Guard personnel were shot in a recent shooting in Washington, DC. The suspect entered the United States in 2021 and was recognized as an Afghan national admitted under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome program. This initiative was created to support Afghans who had collaborated with US forces during the United States’ 20-year presence in Afghanistan.
After coming to the US, the suspect reportedly experienced mental health problems, according to officials. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the incident, while Andrew Wolfe, 24, suffered serious injuries. Wolfe is still in critical condition in the hospital, according to West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey.
The Trump administration has ordered a review of green cards granted to migrants from the 19 previously prohibited nations and halted all refugee petitions in response to the incident. The ban will continue “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible,” according to USCIS Director Joseph Edlow.
Trump said earlier this week that he would “permanently pause migration” from all “third world countries,” accusing refugees of adding to America’s “social dysfunction” and promising to expel “anyone who is not a net asset” from the country.
In addition to denouncing the DC attack, the Afghan Community Coalition of the United States urged the government to conduct a “comprehensive investigation” and refrain from suspending Afghan immigration claims. The coalition emphasized US efforts since 2001 to assist in establishing stability in Afghanistan, saying, “Twenty years of Afghan-US partnership must not be forgotten.”
The US has also been encouraged by the UN to abide by international conventions regarding asylum seekers.
