Noem Says Travel Ban to Expand to 'Over 30' Countries, Focus On Those That 'Don't Have a Stable Government'

The United States plans to expand its travel ban list to include more than 30 countries, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday, signaling a further escalation of restrictions on legal entry.

In an interview on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle," Noem was asked whether the Trump administration would increase the number of banned nations to 32. "I won't be specific on the number, but it's over 30, and the president is continuing to evaluate countries," she said.

Earlier this week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a pause on decisions regarding immigration benefits — including green cards and naturalizations — for people from 19 countries already subject to travel restrictions. The agency said a "comprehensive re-review" of approved cases was necessary in light of the shooting.

The shift comes after two National Guard members were shot in Washington, D.C., last week. Authorities say the suspect, an Afghan national, entered the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement program for individuals who assisted U.S. forces abroad. Trump administration officials have argued the vetting was insufficient.

Following the incident, Trump pledged to "permanently pause" migration from what he called "Third World Countries," without specifying which nations he meant.

Noem did not identify additional countries that may be added. She said the administration is assessing governments' ability to verify traveler identities:

"If they don't have a stable government there, if they don't have a country that can sustain itself and tell us who those individuals are and help us vet them, why should we allow people from that country to come here to the United States?"

On Monday, Noem had already foreshadowed her decision through a post on X that read:

"I just met with the President. I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies. Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom—not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON'T WANT THEM. NOT ONE."