Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem just dropped a bombshell that’s reshaping America’s borders.
The Daily Caller reported that on Thursday, Noem unveiled a bold expansion of travel restrictions, barring entry from more than 30 countries as part of the Trump administration’s push to safeguard national security and public safety.
Earlier this year, in June, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation restricting entry from a dozen nations, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, and Somalia, citing inadequate security protocols and heightened terrorism risks in those regions.
Other countries on that initial list, such as Haiti, Yemen, and Sudan, were flagged for similar concerns about unstable governance and vetting challenges.
The administration argued these measures were necessary to pressure foreign governments into stepping up their cooperation on security matters, ensuring travelers don’t pose a threat to American soil.
Fast forward to Noem’s latest announcement, and the list of restricted countries has ballooned to over 30, though she kept the precise figure under wraps.
“I won’t be specific on the number, but it’s over 30. And the President is continuing to evaluate countries,” Noem told host Laura Ingraham on “The Ingraham Angle.”
Well, that’s a lot of nations on the no-fly list, and while clarity is lacking, it’s clear the administration isn’t playing around when it comes to perceived risks—though some might wonder if blanket bans are the sharpest tool in the shed.
Noem didn’t mince words when explaining the rationale, pointing to governance issues in the affected countries as a core concern.
“Listen, if they don’t have a stable government there, if they don’t have a country that can sustain itself and tell us who those individuals are and help us vet them, why should we allow people from that country to come here to the United States?” she pressed on “The Ingraham Angle.”
Her point hits a nerve—why take chances on unverified travelers when the stakes are so high?—yet critics might argue this approach risks painting entire populations with too broad a brush.
The Trump administration doubled down on the urgency of these restrictions by highlighting recent violent incidents tied to individuals from high-risk areas.
One case involved Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an unauthorized migrant who entered during the prior administration and was later arrested for attacking a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado.
Another chilling event occurred less than two weeks before that, when 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez fatally shot two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., shouting political slogans as he was apprehended—incidents like these fuel the administration’s argument for tighter borders, though they also stoke heated debates about fairness and effectiveness.
