US travel ban list to expand to 30+ countries
Shafaq News – Washington
US President Donald Trump plans to expand the travel-ban list from 19 to over 30 countries, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on Friday.
In a Fox News interview, Noem withheld the exact number but stated that the administration is actively reviewing more countries for inclusion.
The announcement followed the suspension of immigration requests—including green-card and naturalization applications—for citizens of 19 nations, including Afghanistan, Yemen, Haiti, Venezuela, Sudan, and Somalia.
Read more: US shuts down visas: 19 countries under new immigration ban
Washington also cut the validity of work permits for refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrant groups from five years to 18 months. US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow linked the decision to the November 26 attack in Washington, where an Afghan national resettled in 2021 assaulted two National Guard members.
USCIS is reducing the validity period of work permits to enhance vetting, deter fraud, and identify potential threats more frequently.Learn more: https://t.co/YVq9l33t5G pic.twitter.com/rZSug5vSNI
— USCIS (@USCIS) December 4, 2025
In a statement, Edlow argued that shorter permits enhance vetting and reduce risks posed by individuals with anti-American views or public-safety threats. The new rules cover refugees, asylum grantees, and individuals with pending asylum claims, adjustment-of-status petitions, or deportation-relief applications.
