CNN reported on 2/12, citing informed sources, that US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem sent a recommendation to the White House to impose an additional entry ban on citizens from at least 10 more countries. This follows an incident where an Afghan immigrant shot two National Guardsmen in Washington, resulting in one death and one serious injury.
According to Noem, the US should implement an entry ban on citizens from 30-32 countries, a notable increase from the current list of 19 nations. Citizens from these listed countries would face restrictions upon entering the US.
Sources indicated that this ban list could be further expanded, based on the assessment of the Donald Trump administration. It remains unclear which countries are on the new list or when this information will be made public.
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US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in Las Vegas on 22/11. Photo: AP.
The 19 countries currently subject to full or partial US travel bans include Afghanistan, Venezuela, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, and several other nations, primarily in Africa.
The Trump administration introduced a series of strict immigration control measures following the incident involving Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan native, who shot two US National Guardsmen on duty near the White House.
Lakanwal arrived in the US in 9/2021, one month after the Taliban gained control of Kabul and took power in Afghanistan. He had served in the Afghan military and supported US special forces in their fight against the Taliban. The motive behind Lakanwal’s ambush and shooting of the National Guardsmen is currently unknown.
President Trump announced the country would "permanently" halt the acceptance of immigrants from "third world" countries to allow the US system to fully recover. However, he did not specify which countries these were.
He also threatened to reverse "millions" of entry permits issued under his predecessor Joe Biden and to "deport anyone who does not truly benefit America or cannot love America".
