Trump Expands US Travel Ban to 39 Nations, Including Syria and Palestine, Citing Vetting Concerns
President Trump expanded the US travel ban to 39 countries, adding 15 nations like Syria and Palestine, citing national security and vetting difficulties.
Travel ban extended by Trump administration
Chicago Tribune
New Trump travel ban adds five more countries to growing list
Washington Examiner
Overview
- President Trump expanded the US travel ban, bringing the total number of restricted nations to 39, with 15 new countries facing partial entry limitations.
- The expanded ban specifically includes Syria, Palestine, Laos, and Sierra Leone, among others, intensifying the administration's crackdown on immigration.
- The restrictions on Palestine target individuals attempting to travel on Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed travel documents, making US visits difficult for many.
- Trump cited concerns over national security and difficulties in vetting citizens due to weak control over travel documents, corruption, and fraudulent records.
- This expansion follows President Trump's 2015 campaign call for a complete ban on Muslims and earlier travel restrictions on several Muslim-majority countries.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the story neutrally, focusing on reporting the facts of the travel ban's expansion. They consistently attribute the policy and its justifications to the Trump administration, avoiding loaded language or editorializing. The coverage details the affected countries and the nature of the restrictions without taking a definitive stance on the policy's merits.
"The Trump administration is expanding its travel ban to include five more countries and impose new limits on others."
Chicago Tribune"The immigration and travel restrictions include some exceptions, including for permanent U.S. residents from the countries on the list and athletes and staff participating in major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup next year."
CBS News"The Trump administration is expanding its travel ban to include five more countries and impose new limits on others."
ABC News"The news of the expanding travel ban is likely to face fierce opposition from critics who have argued that the administration is using national security concerns to collectively keep out people from a wide range of countries."
Associated PressArticles (11)
Center (4)
FAQ
The administration expanded restrictions to 15 additional countries (bringing the total to 39). Newly added countries include Syria, Palestine (Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed travel documents blocked), Laos, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, and Gambia; some of these face full entry bans while others face partial restrictions (e.g., limits on certain passport or travel-document holders or additional vetting), with the proclamation specifying country-by-country measures and exceptions for U.S. lawful permanent residents and certain visa categories.[1]
The White House stated it expanded restrictions because some governments have weak control over travel documents, corruption, and records that make reliable identity and background vetting difficult, which the administration said poses national security risks; the proclamation frames the measures as necessary to ensure the U.S. can verify travelers’ identities and immigration histories before entry.[1]
The proclamation removes routine visa issuance to travelers using Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed travel documents, meaning many Palestinians seeking U.S. travel visas will face near‑automatic denials or much stricter scrutiny unless they qualify for narrow exceptions (such as dual nationality with an accepted passport or preexisting lawful U.S. status), effectively making U.S. visits far more difficult for holders of PA documents.[1]
Yes; the proclamation and implementing guidance typically preserve certain exceptions and waivers—such as for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, some humanitarian categories, and case-by-case national interest waivers—and the State Department can adjudicate limited waivers where appropriate, though these are narrow and do not restore prior visa access for most affected nationals.[1]
The expansion follows earlier Trump policies that restricted travel for several Muslim-majority and other countries and echoes Trump’s 2015 campaign call for a broad ban on Muslims; the 2025 proclamation builds on prior lists by adding more countries and by tightening document-based restrictions (e.g., on Palestinian Authority documents), representing an intensification of the administration’s immigration-security approach rather than a wholly new policy direction.[1]
History
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