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iDeemlawfulPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a Proclamation further tightening entry into the United States for nationals of countries considered high-risk due to “demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that pose threats to U.S. national security and public safety.
Nigeria is among the 15 additional countries newly placed under partial travel restrictions.
The announcement was published on the White House website in a fact sheet titled “President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”, dated December 16, 2025.
Trump had earlier, on October 31, designated Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern’ following allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
The White House described the move as “strengthening national security through common sense restrictions based on data.”
Under the Proclamation, full restrictions and entry limitations remain in force for nationals of the original 12 high-risk countries listed in Proclamation 10949: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Full restrictions were also extended to five additional countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, as well as individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. Laos and Sierra Leone, previously under partial restrictions, were elevated to full restrictions.
Nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela remain subject to partial entry limitations.
The Proclamation introduces partial restrictions on 15 more countries, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
According to the fact sheet, “exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories like athletes and diplomats, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests” will apply.
It also notes that family-based immigrant visa exemptions with “demonstrated fraud risks” have been narrowed, while waivers may still be granted on a case-by-case basis.
Explaining the decision, the White House stated that the Proclamation is intended “to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.”
The fact sheet quoted Trump directly: “It is the President’s duty to take action to ensure that those seeking to enter our country will not harm the American people.”
It further explained that, following consultations with cabinet officials and reviews based on Executive Order 14161, Proclamation 10949, and country-specific assessments, “President Trump has determined that the entry of nationals from additional countries must be restricted or limited to protect U.S. national security and public safety interests.”
The restrictions are described as country-specific “in order to encourage cooperation with the subject countries in recognition of each country’s unique circumstances,” citing challenges such as “widespread corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records, and nonexistent birth-registration systems—systemically preventing accurate vetting.”
The document also points to countries that “refuse to share passport exemplars or law-enforcement data,” operate Citizenship-by-Investment programmes that obscure identity, or record “high visa-overstay rates and refusal to repatriate removable nationals,” alongside concerns about “terrorist, criminal, and extremist activity.”
The White House framed the move as part of Trump’s broader national security agenda, stating that “President Trump is keeping his promise to restore travel restrictions on dangerous countries and to secure our borders.”
It referenced a previous Supreme Court ruling on similar policies, noting that the Court found such measures “squarely within the scope of Presidential authority” and “expressly premised on legitimate purposes,” including preventing the entry of inadequately vetted nationals and encouraging improved cooperation by foreign governments.
The fact sheet concluded by noting that Turkmenistan, which had previously been subject to restrictions, made progress in cooperation with the United States, leading to the lifting of its nonimmigrant visa ban while the suspension of immigrant entry for Turkmen nationals remains in place.
