Trump expands US travel blacklist, adding new countries

US President Donald Trump has expanded restrictions on entry to the United States, widening a travel blacklist to include several additional countries, citing national security and counterterrorism concerns.

According to the White House, under the updated proclamation, the US will continue to fully restrict the entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The measures apply to both immigrants and non-immigrants.

The White House has also added seven more countries to the list facing full restrictions: Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Syria. In addition, individuals travelling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority will be barred from entry.

Partial restrictions will remain in place for nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Togo and Venezuela, while the existing limitations on Turkmenistan have been modified.

A further 15 countries have been newly placed under partial restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

In the proclamation, the administration said the policy is intended to protect Americans from individuals who may pose security risks, including those suspected of terrorism or of exploiting US immigration laws.

By Aghakazim Guliyev