U.S. to widen travel ban to more than 30 countries

The number of countries facing a U.S. travel ban could increase to 32, as Donald Trump's government further tightens a crackdown on immigration.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told a TV show Thursday that she was recommending a travel ban on any country ''that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies."

Noem did not specify the countries being targeted but an internal State Department cable in June cited African nations such as Kenya, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Nigeria as potential candidates for travel restrictions.

The cable cited reasons such as unreliable identity documents, passport security and the refusal or unwillingness by some countries to receive deported nationals.

Noem said an evaluation of the countries was ongoing.

The travel ban debate intensified after Trump on Nov. 28 threatened to permanently pause migration from "third world countries.”

The statement followed a Nov. 26 shooting near the White House that killed a soldier. The shooter was identified as an Afghan national who sought asylum in the US in 2021.

In June, the US banned travel from Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan.

It also placed heightened restrictions on travel from Burundi, Sierra Leone and Togo.