The United States is preparing to significantly broaden its travel-ban policy, with officials confirming that the list of restricted countries is expected to grow to more than 30. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem disclosed the development during an interview on Fox News, stating that the administration is evaluating a substantial expansion. While she declined to identify the additional nations under consideration, she indicated that the final list will exceed earlier estimates that suggested an increase from 19 to 32 countries. Her remarks mark the first public confirmation that the administration intends to widen the scope of restrictions instituted earlier this year.
The plan comes as federal agencies reassess risk assessments and compliance standards used to evaluate foreign governments’ cooperation on identity verification and security matters. Although Secretary Noem emphasized that decisions are still being finalized, she confirmed that the new set of restrictions will fall under the same legal authority used in previous directives. The Department of Homeland Security has not issued a formal announcement or timeline, leaving uncertainty about when the expanded measures will take effect and how they will be implemented.
Background On the Existing 2025 Restrictions
The anticipated expansion builds on a presidential proclamation issued in June 2025, which imposed full travel bans on 12 countries and partial visa limitations on 7 others, creating a list of 19 affected nations. According to reporting from Reuters, the countries facing full entry bans include Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Nationals of these countries are barred from receiving new U.S. visas under any category unless granted a specific exemption.
The proclamation also established narrower restrictions for Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, where certain visa types—primarily temporary travel and student categories—were subject to additional scrutiny or suspension. Importantly, the policy did not revoke previously issued valid visas; instead, it prevented future visa applicants from obtaining authorization after the order took effect on June 9, 2025.
The administration justified the restrictions by citing what it described as inadequate cooperation from some foreign governments regarding security information, document verification, and counterterrorism coordination. Officials at the time argued that the measures were necessary to enhance screening reliability, though immigrant-rights groups and several legal scholars criticized the proclamation for its broad criteria and potential humanitarian consequences.
New Suspension of Immigration Applications
A separate policy implemented on December 3, 2025, placed a freeze on immigration-related applications from nationals of the 19 countries already listed under the current ban. The suspension affects green-card requests, naturalization petitions, and other benefits administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). According to Reuters, the pause applies to individuals outside the United States as well as those currently inside the country, regardless of how long they have lived there or what stage their application was in.
USCIS officials stated that the pause is temporary but did not specify an end date. The decision follows heightened government scrutiny after a November 26 shooting in Washington, D.C., in which a suspect identified as an Afghan national was charged in connection with the attack. Federal authorities cited the incident as one factor prompting expanded review of security-screening procedures. While the administration has not directly linked the upcoming expansion to this case, officials acknowledged that the event increased pressure to re-evaluate risk categories and entry procedures.
Uncertainty Over New Additions To the List
Despite confirming that more than 30 countries will be subject to travel restrictions, DHS has not released any details about which nations may be added or what criteria are guiding the final selections. Secretary Noem emphasized that the administration is still conducting assessments and would announce the expanded list only after internal reviews are complete. As of now, there is no information suggesting that the changes are already in effect, and no government documents have been published outlining the future scope of the policy.
Analysts expect the expansion to generate legal and diplomatic challenges, as the current framework has already prompted questions from advocacy organizations and immigrant-rights groups. With no published timeline and no specifics on which countries are under evaluation, individuals in many regions may face prolonged uncertainty about how future travel or immigration plans could be affected.
