The US government is set to make its travel rules tougher. It will add more than 30 countries to a list that limits who can come in for work, school, or fun trips. This builds on rules from June that hit 19 nations hard. Officials say it’s all about keeping the country safe from bad actors.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem shared the news on Fox News. She said, “I won’t get specific on the number, but it’s more than 30. The president is still looking at the countries.” Noem made it clear: if a country can’t share info on its people or has shaky leaders, why let them in? “If they don’t have a stable government, if they can’t tell us who those people are or help us check them, why should we let them into the United States?”
This comes right after a scary event. An Afghan man named Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who got into the US in 2021 as a refugee, faces charges for shooting at two National Guard members in Washington. That pushed leaders to tighten up fast. The first batch of countries includes places like Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, Haiti, Venezuela, Libya, and Sudan. Now, they’re eyeing even more spots with weak systems or ties to risks.
The June order already blocks full entry from 12 countries and adds extra checks for seven others. Lately, they’ve paused asylum cases, stopped some green card steps, yanked visas from Afghans who helped US troops, and cut how long work permits last for refugees. They want folks to prove they’re no threat more often.
No word yet on when this kicks in or the full list. The Homeland Security team is keeping that close for now. Some spots might get breaks, but details are thin. Groups that help immigrants are upset. They call it “group punishment” that paints whole countries as bad, even with strong checks already in place. Lawmakers on the other side say it skips over real safety steps. Reports from The Guardian and Reuters hint the total could hit 36 countries.
This isn’t the first time the US has pulled back on borders. Back in June, the president signed an order to start these limits, saying more checks stop risks at the door. “More verification is needed to make sure those who enter aren’t a risk,” the team said. It’s part of a bigger push to screen everyone better, no matter where they’re from.
Folks in immigrant communities feel the pinch. Some naturalization events got put on hold, leaving families in limbo. Experts worry it could slow down legal paths and hurt ties with allies. But backers say it’s smart—better safe than sorry in a world full of unknowns.