U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the Donald Trump administration is about to significantly expand the number of countries included in the U.S. immigration ban. This information was revealed during an interview on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle program.
Noem was asked about the Trump administration’s intention to raise the total number of affected nations to 32. The secretary did not confirm the exact number, but admitted that the list is likely to exceed thirty. “I’m not going to be specific about the number, but it’s above 30, and the president continues to assess the countries,” she stated.
The measure represents a new stage in the immigration policy adopted since Trump resumed office in January. In June, the president signed a proclamation that already banned entry to citizens of 12 countries and imposed additional restrictions on travelers from seven others. The government justified the tightening of the rules as a way to prevent threats related to “foreign terrorists” and risks to national security. The restrictions affect both immigrants and non-immigrants — including tourists, students, and business travelers.
Kristi Noem emphasized that the White House has been using criteria related to governance and the capacity for international cooperation to determine potential inclusions. “If they don’t have a stable government, if they can’t sustain themselves as a country and inform us who those individuals are, why should we allow people from that country to come to the United States?” she questioned.
According to documents obtained by Reuters, the Trump administration was considering banning entry to citizens from up to 36 additional countries, as indicated in an internal State Department memo. This expansion comes amid a general tightening of immigration policies following the attack that killed two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last week. The suspect, an Afghan who entered the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement program, reportedly underwent a screening process deemed insufficient by the current administration.
In response to the incident, Trump promised to “permanently pause” migration from “Third World countries,” without specifying which countries those would be or the criteria to be adopted. Simultaneously, the Department of Homeland Security was ordered to review asylum grants approved during the administration of his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, as well as to reassess Green Cards issued to citizens of 19 countries.
Since his return to power, the president has focused much of his agenda on containing immigration. The administration has increased the deployment of federal agents to major cities, strengthened deportation operations, and begun barring asylum seekers at the border with Mexico. Although the government frequently highlights actions against illegal immigration, the expansion of the list of banned countries demonstrates that the White House is also seeking to more profoundly reshape legal entry flows into the country.
Source: brasil247.com