On December 16, 2025, President Donald Trump expanded the U.S. travel ban to include Palestine, Syria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and South Sudan.
According to the Al Jazeera report, the primary reasons and details of this expansion include:
- Vetting Concerns: The White House cited “compromised vetting and screening abilities” in Gaza and the West Bank following recent conflict, and noted that Syria lacks an “adequate central authority” for issuing secure documents.
- Security Justification: The administration pointed to the operation of designated terrorist groups in Palestinian territories and a recent “permanent pause” on migration from “Third World Countries” following a shooting involving National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
- Terminology: The order does not use the name “Palestine”; instead, it targets “individuals attempting to travel on PA-issued or endorsed travel documents.”
Total Restricted Countries: These six additions bring the total number of countries under the travel ban to 18, following the initial 12 listed in June 2025.
