Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced plans to recommend a travel ban on several countries she claims are “flooding” the United States with criminal activity.
Noem made the announcement in a social media post on Monday, stating she met with President Donald Trump and would suggest “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 Noem’s post on their official social media accounts.
It remains unclear which countries would be affected or when the proposed ban could take effect. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that the recommendation would expand Trump’s earlier travel restrictions on “third world and failed state” countries, first announced several months ago. In June, the administration listed 19 countries, mostly in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, subject to full or partial immigration restrictions.
Noem’s announcement follows a recent shooting in Washington, DC, in which two National Guard members were shot. The suspect, identified as an Afghan national admitted under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome programme, entered the US in 2021. This programme was designed to assist Afghans who had worked with US troops during America’s 20-year deployment in Afghanistan.
Officials reported that the suspect struggled with mental health issues after arriving in the US. The shooting resulted in the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and left 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe critically injured. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said Wolfe remained in serious condition in hospital.
In response to the incident, the Trump administration has paused all asylum claims and ordered a review of green cards issued to migrants from the 19 previously restricted countries. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated that the suspension will remain in place “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”
Earlier this week, Trump threatened to “permanently pause migration” from all “third world countries,” blaming refugees for causing “social dysfunction in America” and vowing to remove “anyone who is not a net asset” to the US.
The Afghan Community Coalition of the United States condemned the DC attack, calling for a “comprehensive investigation” and urging the government not to suspend Afghan immigration claims. “Twenty years of Afghan-US partnership must not be forgotten,” the coalition said, highlighting US efforts since 2001 to help establish security in Afghanistan.
The United Nations has also urged the US to adhere to international agreements on asylum seekers.
Melissa Enoch
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