US Expands Travel Ban to 20 Countries, Palestinians

President Donald Trump speaks during a Mexican Border Defense Medal presentation in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, in Washington.

The Trump administration has announced an expansion of US travel restrictions to include 20 additional countries and holders of Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents, significantly widening limits introduced earlier this year.

Under the updated policy, full travel bans will apply to citizens of five newly added countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria—as well as Palestinians traveling on documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. Fifteen other countries will face partial restrictions, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The measures affect both short-term visitors and prospective immigrants.

The restrictions will not apply to current US visa holders, lawful permanent residents, diplomats, athletes or individuals whose entry is deemed to be in the national interest. The new rules are scheduled to take effect on January 1.

Officials said the expansion was driven by concerns over corruption, unreliable civil documentation, high visa overstay rates, refusal by some countries to accept deported nationals, and broader instability. Immigration enforcement, foreign policy and national security considerations were also cited.

The move follows the recent arrest of an Afghan national suspected of shooting two National Guard members. Critics argue the policy unfairly targets people based on nationality rather than individual security risks and warned that it removes protections for Afghans eligible for special immigrant visas due to their assistance to US forces.

Several affected countries, including Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, said they are seeking urgent clarification from US authorities. At the same time, restrictions were eased for Turkmenistan, while tighter rules were imposed on Laos and Sierra Leone.

The ban on Palestinians extends earlier measures, now barring Palestinian Authority passport holders from entering or immigrating to the United States. Officials cited concerns over militant activity in the West Bank and Gaza and limited vetting capacity amid ongoing conflict.