Donald Trump has already banned travelers from 19 countries, and now he’s reportedly planning to add 36 more to the list, continuing his tough stance on immigration and border security. Since returning to the White House, his decisions have triggered protests and global concern, especially with mass deportations and controversial enforcement measures.
One of his most criticized moves was ordering the deportation of hundreds of people to nations with dangerous prison systems. In Los Angeles, his use of ICE agents led to widespread unrest, sparking protests that turned violent. Still, Trump hasn’t backed down—in fact, he brought in military support to maintain control in the city.
Not long ago, he also made headlines for banning international students from attending Harvard University, further tightening who’s allowed into the country.
The travel ban isn’t new. Trump introduced it during his first term, but President Biden later removed it. Now that Trump is back in power, he’s reinstated the ban with more countries included. In May, he announced that 12 countries were completely banned from sending travelers to the U.S., and seven more had limited access.
He justified the action by saying he needs to protect the safety of Americans, especially after a violent attack on a pro-Israel rally in Colorado. Trump argued that letting people into the U.S. without strict background checks puts the country at risk. His words were blunt: “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet people. We won’t let what happened in Europe happen here.”
Here’s the list of 19 countries currently facing full or partial travel restrictions under Trump’s updated policy:
**Full Ban List:**
Afghanistan
Myanmar
Chad
Republic of the Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Haiti
Iran
Libya
Somalia
Sudan
Yemen
**Additional Countries with Restrictions:**
Burundi
Cuba
Laos
Sierra Leone
Togo
Turkmenistan
Venezuela
But that may not be the end. A government memo suggests that 36 more countries have 60 days to meet strict new standards—or they, too, will be added to the ban list. This list includes countries from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, like:
Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and many others.
Unless people from these countries can prove they are being persecuted for their religion in places like Iran, or are athletes coming for competitions, they may not be allowed into the U.S. Afghan citizens with Special Immigrant Visas, green card holders, and dual citizens from countries not on the ban list will still be allowed in.
Trump’s immigration crackdown is sparking serious debate both inside the U.S. and globally, with many saying his actions unfairly target developing nations. But for now, the list seems to be growing—and fast.
