South Africa tour of India 2019
Trump Signs Order to Further Restrict Entry of Foreign Nationals into the US
US President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation expanding restrictions on the entry of foreign nationals into the United States, citing concerns related to national security, public safety, inadequate vetting mechanisms, and high visa overstay rates. The move builds on previous travel restrictions introduced during Trump’s presidency and widens the scope of affected countries.
According to a White House fact sheet, the proclamation enforces full or partial entry suspensions on nationals from more than 30 countries. It also tightens scrutiny of certain travel documents and narrows exemptions under family-based visa categories. The administration said the measures followed a fresh security assessment of global immigration risks.
The order continues full entry restrictions on nationals from 12 countries already covered under Proclamation 10949. These include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In addition, five new countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria—have been added to the list facing a complete suspension of entry.
The proclamation also imposes full entry restrictions on individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. The administration cited difficulties in reliable vetting due to ongoing conflict and the presence of militant groups in the West Bank and Gaza as justification for the move.
Further, Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously subject to partial restrictions, have now been shifted to the full suspension category. The White House maintained that the policy is designed to protect American citizens while encouraging countries to improve their vetting systems and cooperation with US immigration authorities.
The expanded restrictions are expected to draw criticism from human rights groups and immigration advocates, who have previously argued that such measures unfairly target specific regions. However, the Trump administration has reiterated that national security remains its top priority.
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