WASHINGTON – The United States is preparing to increase the number of countries on its travel restrictions list from 19 to over 30.
It was revealed by US Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen who said President Donald Trump is reviewing which additional countries may face new travel bans.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration halted all immigration applications from 19 non-European countries due to national security and public safety concerns. This included the processing of green cards and U.S. citizenship applications.
International media reported that stricter measures were implemented in June on the 19 countries that were already subject to partial travel restrictions.
These countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, all of which now face full travel bans.
Other countries that were partially restricted in June included Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
US officials have stated that they are continuing to assess the situation, and additional countries may be added to the list in the coming weeks.
A day earlier, the Trump administration announced implementation of stricter vetting procedures for H-1B visa applicants, including a detailed review of resumes and LinkedIn profiles.
A memo circulated by the State Department on December 2 directs US consular officers to scrutinise applicants for any involvement in activities related to censorship or suppression of free speech.
H-1B visas, which enable US employers to hire foreign talent in specialized fields, are critical to many American technology companies that rely heavily on skilled workers from countries like India and China.
The new vetting guidelines, however, could affect applicants with ties to sectors like misinformation, content moderation, and online safety. The memo emphasizes that applicants who have participated in censoring or attempting to censor protected speech in the US should be deemed ineligible.
This policy specifically targets H-1B applicants who frequently work in the tech industry, including social media platforms and financial institutions, which have faced criticism for their role in moderating online content.
The State Department’s directive urges consular officers to carefully examine the employment histories of all applicants and their families to detect any involvement in such practices.
