U.S. Weighs Expanding Travel Security Measures to Strengthen Border Protection

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Thursday that the United States is considering expanding its travel security measures to include more than 30 countries, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance national safety.

Speaking in an interview on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle, Secretary Noem addressed questions about whether President Donald Trump’s administration plans to increase the number of countries covered by existing travel restrictions to 32.

The current measures, introduced through a presidential proclamation in June, limit entry for citizens of 12 countries and impose additional restrictions on travelers from seven others. The policies apply to both immigrant and non-immigrant categories, including tourists, students, and business visitors, and are framed as part of a broader strategy to prevent potential security threats.

Secretary Noem stressed that the administration’s goal is to ensure that countries meet required security and information-sharing standards before their citizens are permitted to enter the U.S.

“If they don’t have a stable government, if they can’t verify the identities of individuals or assist us in vetting them, then we must take precautions,” she said.

While Noem did not disclose which countries might be newly added, she emphasized that any changes would be based on security assessments and the United States’ commitment to safeguarding its borders.

The U.S. travel restrictions first emerged in early 2017 and have evolved through several updates under different phases of the Trump administration’s national security agenda. The measures are justified by officials as necessary steps to prevent terrorism, improve vetting procedures, and ensure foreign governments share accurate information about travelers. Countries are reviewed periodically based on criteria such as passport security, counterterrorism cooperation, and the ability to verify the identities of their citizens. The administration has indicated that future adjustments to the list will continue to reflect changing global security conditions and diplomatic engagement.