The Trump administration will expand its travel ban to include citizens of more than 30 countries, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, marking the latest immigration restriction imposed after a man from Afghanistan was accused of shooting two National Guard members. The expansion builds on a June travel ban that barred travel to the US for citizens of 12 countries and restricted access for people from seven others. Noem suggested earlier this week that more countries would be added, but in a Thursday interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham she declined to provide specifics, saying President Donald Trump is still considering which nations to include. Following the Thanksgiving week shooting of two National Guard troops, the administration tightened restrictions on the 19 countries covered under the initial ban, which includes Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran and Haiti. Ingraham asked whether the list would grow to 32 countries. "I won't be specific on the number, but it's over 30," Noem said. She added: "If they don't have a stable government there ... and help us vet them, why should we allow people from that country to come here to the United States?" The Department of Homeland Security did not answer questions about when the updated ban would take effect or which countries would be added. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who emigrated to the US from Afghanistan after the US withdrawal, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, who died from wounds sustained in the Nov. 26 shooting. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was critically wounded. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty. In the past week, the administration has halted asylum decisions, paused processing of immigration benefits for people in the US from the 19 banned countries, and stopped visas for Afghans who assisted the US war effort. On Thursday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced shorter work-permit validity periods for refugees and asylum applicants, requiring more frequent renewals and vetting. — Agencies
