Trump administration will expand travel ban to more than 30 countries, Noem says

The Trump medication volition beryllium expanding its prohibition connected travel for citizens of definite countries to much than 30, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, in the latest restriction to travel since a antheral from Afghanistan was accused of shooting 2 National Guard members.

The enlargement would physique connected a question prohibition already announced successful June by the Republican administration, which barred question to the U.S. for citizens from 12 countries and restricted entree to the U.S. for radical from 7 others. In a societal media station earlier this week, Noem had suggested much countries would beryllium included.

Noem, who spoke precocious Thursday successful an interrogation with Fox News Channel big Laura Ingraham, would not supply further details, saying President Donald Trump was considering which countries would beryllium included.

In the aftermath of the National Guard shooting, the medication already ratcheted up restrictions connected the 19 countries included successful the archetypal question ban, which see Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran and Haiti, among others.

Ingraham asked Noem whether the question prohibition was expanding to 32 countries and asked which countries would beryllium added to the 19 announced earlier this year.

"I won't beryllium circumstantial connected the number, but it's implicit 30. And the president is continuing to measure countries," Noem said.

"If they don't person a unchangeable authorities there, if they don't person a state that tin prolong itself and archer america who those individuals are and assistance america vet them, wherefore should we let radical from that state to travel present to the United States?" Noem said.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for remark astir erstwhile an updated question prohibition mightiness spell into effect and which countries would beryllium included successful it.

Additions to the June question prohibition are the latest successful what has been a rapidly unfolding bid of migration actions since the shooting Thanksgiving week of 2 National Guard troops successful Washington.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who emigrated to the U.S. from Afghanistan aft the U.S. withdrawal, has been charged with first-degree execution aft 1 of the 2 victims, West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, died of wounds sustained successful the Nov. 26 shooting. The 2nd victim, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, was critically wounded. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty.

The Trump medication has argued that much vetting is needed to marque definite radical entering oregon already successful the U.S. aren't a threat. Critics accidental the medication is traumatizing radical who've already gone done extended vetting to get to the U.S. and accidental the caller measures magnitude to corporate punishment.

Over the people of a small much than a week, the medication has halted asylum decisions, paused processing of immigration-related benefits for radical successful the U.S. from the 19 question prohibition countries and halted visas for Afghans who assisted the U.S. warfare effort.

On Thursday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it was reducing the clip play that enactment permits are valid for definite applicants specified arsenic refugees and radical with asylum truthful they person to reapply much often and spell done vetting much frequently.