On December 16, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation to expand and reinforce entry limitations on nationals from countries characterized as having “demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies” in their screening, vetting, and information-sharing systems, according to reports.
The administration emphasized that these adjustments are essential to thwart the entry of foreign nationals for whom the US “lacks sufficient information to evaluate the risks they present, collaborate with foreign governments, enforce immigration laws, and further key foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism goals.”
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Under the updated regulations, partial restrictions and entry limitations are in effect for several African countries, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, and Mauritania. Full restrictions and entry bans are now applicable to citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. Below is the comprehensive list of both partial and full restrictions:
Countries facing partial restrictions
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Dominica
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Countries under full restrictions
Full entry bans and comprehensive limitations are now in effect for nationals from these five countries:
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- Niger
- South Sudan
- Syria
Restrictions maintained on other countries
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Togo
- Venezuela
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The proclamation continues the full restrictions originally imposed on 12 countries previously categorized as “high-risk,” which include:
- Afghanistan
- Burma
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
The proclamation also implements full entry restrictions on individuals who possess Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed travel documents. It notes that several “US-designated terrorist groups operate actively in the West Bank or Gaza Strip and have murdered American citizens,” further adding that the ongoing conflicts in these areas likely compromise the vetting and screening processes. The document states: “Given the weak or nonexistent control exerted by the PA (Palestinian Authority) in these areas, individuals seeking to travel on PA-issued or endorsed documents cannot currently be adequately vetted and approved for entry into the United States.”
Furthermore, the document highlighted that the presence of terrorists, criminal networks, and extremist activities in several of the listed countries contribute to instability and weak governance, presenting what it terms direct risks to US citizens and interests.
Despite the expansion of the ban, there are exemptions for lawful permanent residents, current visa holders, specific visa categories such as diplomats and athletes, and individuals “whose entry serves US national interests.”
