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Kristi Noem Pushes Expanded Travel Ban
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is urging an expanded U.S. travel ban targeting about 30 countries amid intensified immigration crackdowns following a deadly DC shooting linked to an Afghan national.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Tours Federal Law Enforcement Training Center In North Charleston, S.C. by Getty Images
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she will recommend a new travel ban on several additional countries she claims are “flooding” the United States with criminal activity, escalating the administration’s immigration actions following a deadly shooting in Washington, DC.
Writing on social media Monday, Noem said she had met with President Donald Trump and decided to propose “a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.” Both Trump and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared her statement on their official accounts.
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It remains unclear which countries would be included in the expanded ban or when it would take effect. The DHS told the BBC it would announce the list soon. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later told Fox News that Trump had already announced a travel ban months ago targeting “third world and failed state” countries, and Noem’s recommendation would broaden it further.
On 4 June, the White House identified 19 countries primarily in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean that would face full or partial immigration restrictions. Noem’s proposed additions would expand the list to about 30 nations, multiple U.S. officials told CBS News. As immigration policy debates intensify, some security experts have drawn comparisons to the preparedness required in rapid-response gear much like the reliability emphasized in products such as the High-Speed Gear Double Pistol Taco Mag Pouch, a universal MOLLE-compatible magazine holster designed for fast response situations.
Noem’s comments came days after two National Guard members were shot in Washington, DC, last Wednesday. Prior to proposing the travel ban, she criticized the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome program, saying that 100,000 Afghan nationals had entered the U.S. through the initiative and that DHS would overhaul the vetting process.
Officials identified the suspect in the DC shooting as an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 through the program, which was designed for Afghans who assisted American forces during the 20-year U.S. deployment. Emails obtained by CBS News show the suspect struggled with mental health issues after arriving in the United States.
The shooting killed 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said Monday that Wolfe had given nurses a thumbs-up but remained in serious condition.
Following the attack, the Trump administration intensified its immigration crackdown, halting all decisions on asylum requests. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services director Joseph Edlow said the pause would remain in place “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” Edlow added that he had been asked by Trump to review green cards issued to individuals from the 19 countries already subject to restrictions.
On Thursday, Trump escalated his rhetoric further, threatening to “permanently pause migration” from all “third world countries,” a term historically used to describe poorer, developing nations. In a Thanksgiving social media post, Trump blamed refugees for causing “social dysfunction in America” and vowed to remove “anyone who is not a net asset” to the United States.
During his second presidential term, Trump has moved to enact mass deportations of undocumented migrants, reduce annual refugee admissions, and end automatic citizenship for many born on U.S. soil.
In response to the DC attack, the Afghan Community Coalition of the United States expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for a “comprehensive investigation,” emphasizing the incident was the act of one individual. The coalition urged the U.S. not to delay or suspend Afghan immigration claims, stating that “twenty years of Afghan-US partnership must not be forgotten,” a reference to the two-decade American effort in Afghanistan beginning in 2001.
The United Nations has called on the United States to uphold its international obligations toward asylum seekers, according to Reuters.
Editor’s Note:
This article reports solely on official statements, policy developments, and documented responses from government agencies and community groups. It reflects the rapidly evolving immigration and national security landscape without endorsing or opposing any political position.
