WASHINGTON (TDI): US President Donald Trump has broadened America’s travel ban to include seven more countries, barring citizens of those nations from entering the United States beginning January 1, 2026, the White House announced on Tuesday.
The move is part of a larger effort by the administration to tighten immigration and national security measures.
Under the new proclamation, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria have been added to the list of countries whose nationals are fully banned from US entry, alongside Laos and Sierra Leone, which previously faced partial restrictions but now face full bans.
The order also prohibits entry for people travelling on Palestinian Authority, issued travel documents.
In addition to the full bans, the proclamation also places partial travel restrictions on nationals from 15 more countries, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The White House stated that the travel restrictions target countries with what it described as “persistent and severe deficiencies” in their screening, vetting, and information-sharing systems, arguing that these gaps pose risks to US national security and public safety.
The expanded ban unfairly penalizes entire populations based on nationality rather than individualized security assessments.
The decision marks a notable shift in Washington’s stance toward Syria. It comes despite President Trump’s earlier promise to support Syria’s recovery after high-profile talks in November with President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader who came to power following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.
Since then, Sharaa has been reaching out internationally, portraying himself as a moderate leader seeking to reunite the war-scarred nation and bring an end to decades of isolation.
Trump’s position hardened following a recent deadly attack in Syria that killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter. In response, the president warned of “very serious retaliation,” describing the incident as a “terrible” act of violence.
The White House cited high visa overstay rates and lingering security concerns to justify Syria’s inclusion, stating that the country still lacks a reliable central authority for issuing travel documents and effective screening and vetting mechanisms.
The travel ban now forms part of a much broader framework of US entry restrictions. In total, the expanded measures include full or partial travel curbs affecting around 39 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and other regions, marking a significant expansion from the list first announced in June.
Minahil Khurshid holds a Master's in Peace and Conflict Studies from NUST. She is passionate about current affairs, public policy, and geopolitics.
