TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO EXPAND TRAVEL BAN TO OVER 30 COUNTRIES, NOEM SAYS. (PHOTO).

 Trump administration to expand travel ban to over 30 countries, Noem says

The Trump administration plans to expand its travel ban to citizens of more than 30 countries, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, following the shooting of two National Guard members by a man from Afghanistan.

The move would build on a June travel restriction that barred entry to the U.S. for citizens of 12 countries and imposed limitations on seven others. Noem indicated earlier this week that additional countries would be included but did not provide specifics, saying President Donald Trump is still evaluating which nations will be affected.

Speaking Thursday in an interview, Noem emphasized the administration’s rationale for the expanded ban: countries without stable governments or proper vetting systems could pose security risks. “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?” she said.

The new restrictions come amid a series of immigration actions since the November 26 shooting in Washington. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan immigrant, has been charged with first-degree murder after one victim, West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, died, while Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was critically injured. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty.

In response, the administration has paused asylum decisions, frozen processing of immigration benefits for people from the 19 countries included in the June ban, and temporarily halted visas for Afghans who assisted U.S. forces. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services also announced a reduction in the validity period for work permits for refugees and asylum seekers, requiring them to reapply more frequently and undergo additional vetting. Critics argue these measures unfairly target individuals who have already undergone extensive screening, while the administration maintains they are necessary to ensure public safety.