The Trump administration is evaluating a significant expansion of its travel restriction policies in response to last week’s shooting incident in Washington D.C. that left two National Guard personnel wounded. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced via social media platform X that she has met with the President and recommended comprehensive travel prohibitions targeting nations she accused of “flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.”
This potential policy escalation builds upon existing travel restrictions announced earlier this summer targeting 19 countries, with seven under partial bans affecting specific visa categories. The current list includes Afghanistan, Iran, Venezuela, and several African nations, with varying restrictions based on diplomatic relations and security assessments.
The administration’s consideration gained momentum after authorities identified the suspected shooter in last week’s incident as a 29-year-old Afghan national. While neither Trump nor Noem has specified which additional countries might face restrictions, leaked documents reveal the administration had already been evaluating 36 potential additions to the ban list, predominantly from sub-Saharan Africa.
According to diplomatic cables obtained by media outlets, the State Department had given these nations 60-day notices to improve travel documentation practices and address issues related to citizens residing illegally in the United States. Failure to demonstrate compliance would result in inclusion in the expanded restrictions.
The proposed expansion aligns with President Trump’s recent declaration that he would “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover,” signaling a fundamental shift in immigration policy that prioritizes security concerns and systematic recovery over traditional immigration pathways.