Trump adds seven countries to the full travel ban list, including Syria
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday added seven more nations—including Syria—to the list of nations whose nationals are prohibited from traveling to the United States.
A proclamation “expanding and strengthening entry restrictions on nationals from countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing to protect the Nation from national security and public safety threats” was signed by Trump, according to a statement from the White House.
The decision on Tuesday prohibited inhabitants of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, and those with travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. Additionally, the measure completely bans Sierra Leone and Laos, which were previously only partially restricted.
The extended restriction will take effect on January 1st, according to the White House.
Following historic negotiations in November with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander who until recently was sanctioned by Washington as a foreign terrorist, Trump vowed to do all in his power to make Syria succeed.
With his visit capping an incredible year for the rebel-turned-ruler who overthrew longtime autocratic leader Bashar al-Assad, Trump has backed Sharaa. Since then, he has travelled the world attempting to portray himself as a moderate leader who seeks to bring his war-torn country together and end its decades of isolation from the rest of the world.
However, after the U.S. military reported that two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in Syria by a suspected Islamic State attacker who targeted a convoy of Syrian and American forces before being shot dead, Trump threatened “very serious retaliation” in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday. In statements to reporters, he called the attack a “terrible” one.
In support of the restriction, the White House pointed to Syria’s visa overstay rates.
“After a long period of internal conflict and civil upheaval, Syria is now recovering.
The White House stated, “Syria still lacks an adequate central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures, despite the country’s efforts to address its security challenges in close coordination with the United States.”
US ADDS NEW NATIONS TO LIST OF PARTIAL RESTRICTIONS
In June, Trump signed a proclamation barring visitors from seven nations and prohibiting those from 12 countries from entering the US, citing the need to guard against “foreign terrorists” and other security risks. Tourists, students, and business travelers are all prohibited, as are non-immigrants.
The White House stated that the travel ban is still in effect for those twelve nations.
Another 15 nations, including Nigeria, are also subject to Trump’s partial restrictions and admission prohibitions. In early November, Trump threatened to take military action against Nigeria due to its treatment of Christians.
Nigeria contends that accusations of persecution of Christians ignore measures to protect religious freedom and distort a complicated security situation.
Trump has made immigration enforcement a top priority since taking office again in January. He has sent federal agents to major American cities and denied asylum claimants at the border between the United States and Mexico.
Since the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., last month, the administration has increased its immigration policies, and the extension of the nations subject to entry restrictions is only one more step in that direction.
An Afghan national who entered the country in 2021 through a resettlement program—under which Trump administration officials have claimed there was inadequate screening—is the shooter, according to investigators.
Days after the shooting, Trump promised to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries,” although he did not specify what this meant or name any of them.
