US imposes travel ban on 7 countries including Palestine

The Trump administration has imposed a full entry ban on citizens of seven countries, including holders of Palestinian passports, citing national and public security concerns.

The decision was announced in a White House statement issued in Washington on Tuesday (December 16).

The countries affected by the ban are Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Laos and Syria.

According to the statement, the move was taken due to “longstanding and serious deficiencies” in screening, vetting and information-sharing mechanisms that pose potential security risks.

The ban is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

The announcement follows an earlier decision in late November, when the United States suspended all immigration-related activities for citizens of 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen.

On December 4, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News that the administration plans to expand the list to at least 32 countries, though the names of the additional 13 were not disclosed.

The latest decision comes amid heightened security concerns globally. While tougher measures against Palestinians had been anticipated following a deadly shooting targeting Jewish people in Sydney, Australia, the inclusion of Syria has surprised many observers.

This is particularly notable as Syrian President Ahmed Shara recently met President Trump at the White House, and US sanctions against Shara—linked to past allegations of al-Qaeda ties—were lifted shortly before that visit.