U.S. Travel Ban Now Extends to More Than Thirty Countries
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem hinted on Thursday that the U.S. plans to expand the number of countries restricted by the travel ban to more than 30. She was also asked in an interview with Fox News to confirm whether the Trump administration would extend the travel ban list to around 32 countries. To this query, she responded, saying, “I won’t be specific on the number, but it’s over 30, and the president is continuing to evaluate the countries.”
As one of the leading EB-1 experts, we have outlined the news in all its details. We have also speculated on this comment and added our best guess on what these 36 countries could be.
The context of the travel ban and further extension
In June, Trump signed a proclamation that effectively bans 12 countries from traveling to the United States. The restriction eventually extends to seven more countries. The underlying reason, as explained by the Trump administration, was to protect against “foreign terrorists” and other malicious intent threatening national security. The bans are supposed to apply indiscriminately to both immigrants and non-immigrants.
This list is now supposed to expand much further: Reuters has already reported a detailed speculation on the travel ban extending to 36 additional countries. This report speaks of an internal State Department cable.
The internal diplomatic cable was signed by the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It raised multiple alarming concerns over the countries in question and sought several corrective measures. According to the cable: "The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days."
The cable cited several red flags about these concerned countries: some of them were not, according to the cable, cooperative in taking back their own nationals. Moreover, in this list, there are countries that have been marked as hubs of ‘terrorism, anti-semitic or even anti-American activities.’
What are these additional countries?
While earlier this month, the countries to face the ban were: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
The list can potentially expand to the following countries if they do not address these concerns within the next 60 days: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Hence, we can assume the 32 countries Kristi Noem hinted at would possibly fall within this list. Until there is a detailed official update, there can only be speculations regarding the exact countries and their numbers to be included in the travel ban list.
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Sources & Further Readings
- Pamuk, Humeyra.“Trump Administration Weighs Adding 36 Countries to Travel Ban, Memo Says.” Reuters, June 16, 2025.
- Pamuk, Humeyra.“US Expanding List of Countries Under Travel Ban to More Than 30, Noem Says.” Reuters, December 5, 2025.
- Santana, Rebecca., and Miriam Jordan.“Trump Administration Will Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries.” CNBC, December 6, 2025.
