Entry into the United States could be banned or restricted for citizens of more than 30 countries, US Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem announced.
“I won't give you the exact number, but it's more than 30“, she said on Fox News. “If they don't have stable governments, if they can't explain to us who these people are and help us vet them, why should we allow people from these countries into the United States?“.
According to US media reports, Washington is considering expanding the list of countries whose citizens are banned or restricted from entering the United States from 19 to 32.
Noem had previously proposed a complete ban on entry for those countries whose citizens most often pose a threat to national security. These statements followed the attack on members of the US National Guard last week.
On November 26, a man opened fire on National Guard troops near Admiral David Farragut Park in downtown Washington. The incident occurred about 300 meters from the White House. The attacker and two National Guard soldiers were injured and hospitalized. One of the soldiers later died. Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem said the suspect arrived in the United States from Afghanistan in 2021 as part of the Allied Admissions Program following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.