The Trump administration on Friday unveiled a new set of immigration restrictions on six African and Asian countries, expanding the so-called travel ban that has been denounced as discriminatory by critics to effectively halt the admission of immigrants from Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria.
The move adds Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan to the third version of President Trump’s travel ban, a policy that elicited confusion and massive uproar during his first days in office when he banned most travelers and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations.
The proclamation signed by the president on Friday also maintains the restrictions currently in place for Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea.
Under the new proclamation, people from Nigeria, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan and Eritrea will be ineligible for immigrant visas to move to the U.S., while citizens of Sudan and Tanzania will be prohibited from enrolling in the diversity visa lottery — a program that Mr. Trump and immigration hawks have long railed against. Residents of the six countries will still be eligible for short-term business and tourist visas.
Immigrant visas petitioners from the new group of countries could be eligible for waivers and exemptions under the order, which is slated to take effect February 22, according to senior officials from the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the restrictions.
About 12,000 people could be affected by the new stringent measures, the officials said on a call with reporters.
Friday’s expansion, the officials said, was the culmination of a “comprehensive” assessment by the department and is designed to ensure the designated countries improve information-sharing about criminal and terrorist activity, travel vetting procedures and other security safeguards.
The six nations could have their restrictions lifted if they address these concerns, the officials added.
