U.S. President Donald Trump has moved to widen America’s travel ban, announcing new entry restrictions on citizens from eight additional jurisdictions.
The measures are due to take effect from January 1.
In a proclamation issued by the White House, the administration said the decision was driven by national security concerns linked to what it described as persistent failures by certain governments to adequately vet travellers. These shortcomings, it said, make it difficult for US authorities to properly assess the risks posed by some foreign nationals seeking entry.
The newly restricted list includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, Laos and Sierra Leone, alongside people travelling on Palestinian Authority-issued documents. The proclamation states that individuals who have already been granted asylum in the United States will not be affected.
Syria’s inclusion follows a recent attack in which two US soldiers and a civilian were killed by a suspected Islamic State gunman. The move comes despite Washington’s recent efforts to improve relations with Syria’s new leadership, which took power after the fall of Bashar Assad last year.
The latest expansion builds on an earlier order issued in June 2025 that imposed travel restrictions on nationals from 19 countries. The policy has drawn renewed scrutiny amid sharp rhetoric from senior US officials linking immigration controls to public safety concerns.
Image credit: Aleksey Smagin
Who would want to go to this shithole country, hey ?