The Trump administration is gearing up for one of its boldest immigration moves yet, expanding the current travel ban from 19 countries to more than 30, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Speaking on Fox News, Noem emphasized that President Trump is targeting nations unable to adequately screen travelers, prioritizing American safety in an era of rising threats.​

The announcement follows a devastating shooting in Washington, D.C., where an Afghan national, resettled in the U.S. in 2021, fatally shot a National Guard member and injured another. Trump swiftly responded by urging a pause on migration from unstable "third world" countries, exposing gaps in foreign vetting processes like hasty asylum approvals. The existing ban already covers hotspots such as Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela, imposing full restrictions or visa curbs on tourists, students, and immigrants due to terrorism risks and deportation hurdles.​

This escalation forms part of a sweeping immigration overhaul since Trump's January 2025 inauguration. Key steps include mass deportations, stricter border controls, frozen asylum rulings, and halted green card processing from the original 19 nations by USCIS. Internal discussions have eyed up to 36 additional countries, though Noem confirmed only "more than 30" without naming them.​​

Experts draw parallels to Trump's 2017 bans on mostly Muslim-majority countries, which survived legal challenges and cut student visas by 15% from affected regions. Potential new additions from Africa or Asia could disrupt airlines, universities recruiting global talent, and family reunifications, while bolstering diplomatic tensions. Supporters hail it as common sense: nations without reliable passports or deportation cooperation can't expect open U.S. borders.​ An official list and rollout timeline could drop imminently as reviews conclude, marking a pivotal shift in U.S. policy that may redefine international travel for years to come.