WASHINGTON, United States – United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday expanded a list of countries subject to a full travel ban, prohibiting citizens from an additional seven countries, including Syria, from entering the United States.
Trump also added partial restrictions and entry limitations on an additional 15 countries, including Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
The White House said in a statement that Trump signed a proclamation “expanding and strengthening entry restrictions on nationals from countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing to protect the nation from national security and public safety threats.”
Zimbabwe was penalised for a high rate of visa overstay, the White House said.
A U.S. government overstay report referenced in the proclamation said Zimbabwe recorded a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 7.89 percent and an F, M and J visa overstay rate of 15.15 percent.
The partial suspension applies to Zimbabweans seeking entry to the United States on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M and J visas, which include students, exchange visitors and certain training programmes.
“The restrictions and limitations imposed by the proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” the White House said.
It added: “The restrictions are country-specific in order to encourage cooperation with the subject countries in recognition of each country’s unique circumstances.
“Many of the restricted countries suffer from widespread corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records, and nonexistent birth-registration systems—systemically preventing accurate vetting.
“Some nations refuse to share passport exemplars or law-enforcement data, while others permit Citizenship-by-Investment schemes that conceal identity and bypass vetting requirements and travel restrictions.
“Some countries’ high visa-overstay rates and refusal to repatriate removable nationals demonstrate disregard for U.S. immigration laws and burden American enforcement resources.”
Tuesday’s move banned citizens from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria and those holding Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents. The action also imposes a full ban on Laos and Sierra Leone, which had previously only been subject to partial restrictions.
An additional 15 countries are also being added to the list of countries facing partial restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The bans apply to both immigrants and non-immigrants, such as tourists, students and business travellers.
Trump signed a proclamation in June banning the citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States and restricting those from seven others, saying it was needed to protect against “foreign terrorists” and other security threats.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has aggressively prioritised immigration enforcement, sending federal agents to major U.S. cities and turning away asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The expansion of the countries subject to entry restrictions marks a further escalation of immigration measures the administration has taken since the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last month.
Investigators say the shooting was carried out by an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement programme under which Trump administration officials have argued there was insufficient vetting.
Days after the shooting, Trump vowed to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries,” although he did not identify any.
People who already have visas, are lawful permanent residents of the U.S. or have certain visa categories such as diplomats or athletes, or whose entry into the country is believed to serve the U.S. interest, are all exempt from the restrictions. – ZimLive
