Todd Bishop
US media on January 11 quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that President Trump plans to expand the travel ban and add seven restricted countries, of which Muslim countries account for the majority. The White House has not responded for the time being.
The Associated Press quoted six people familiar with the matter as saying that documents to extend the travel ban have been circulating within the White House and no final decision has been made yet, so it has not been confirmed how many countries will be affected. Two of them revealed that a total of seven countries may be involved, most of them Muslim countries.
Another source said Iraq, Sudan and Chad could be new restricted countries. The three countries were included in the travel ban as early as 2017, and later revoked in a series of lawsuits.
Reports indicate that the ban on expanding the list may include U.S. allies who fail to meet certain security regulations. Sources said the Department of Homeland Security proposed additional restrictions after reviewing security agreements and identity management in about 200 countries.
Countries currently restricted by the strict travel ban include Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea. Sources pointed out that Washington will announce the new regulations on January 27, the third anniversary of the initial travel ban.
