US plans to expand travel ban list

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced in a program she attended on Fox News that work is underway to expand the list of countries to which the US will apply travel bans. Noem said, "I don't want to give a specific number, but it will be over 30, and President Trump continues to evaluate the countries." Noem argued that individuals coming from countries that do not have a stable government should not be allowed to enter the US.

The US administration accelerated its travel ban efforts following the shooting of two National Guard members near the White House on November 26. Following the attack, asylum and immigration applications from citizens of 19 countries in the "high-risk country" category were suspended.

In the attack that took place in Washington on November 26, two National Guard members were shot. 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal was taken into custody as a suspect. Sarah Beckstrom, who was shot in the attack, lost her life, while Andrew Wolfe was injured. Lakanwal will be charged with first-degree murder.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced after the attack that security measures in the capital would be increased and 500 new soldiers would be deployed to Washington.

COUNTRIES SUBJECT TO TRAVEL BAN

With the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on June 5, travel to the US by citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen was banned. In addition, travel restrictions were imposed on citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.