WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday marked roughly three years since his controversial travel ban by announcing the addition of six African and Asian countries to the list of those whose nationals face restrictions on travel to the United States. The Homeland Security and State departments announced that the administration was adding Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania to the list.
All six countries have substantial Muslim populations. The total number of countries now on the restricted travel list stands at 13.
Immigrant visas, issued to those seeking to live in the United States, will be banned for Nigeria, Myanmar, Eritrea and Kyrgyzstan. The ban will also prevent immigrants from Sudan and Tanzania from moving to the United States through the diversity visa lottery, which grants green cards to as many as 50,000 people a year.
The new restrictions will not apply to tourist or business travel, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement Friday.
The State Department has put increasing pressure on countries it deems “recalcitrant” for not adopting electronic passports with biometric data and agreeing to certain information-sharing with the United States.
Trump issued a proclamation making the expanded group official on Friday, but the new restrictions won’t take effect until Feb. 22, officials said.
Source: Los Angeles Times & The New York Times
