Posted on September 25, 2017

Trump Approves Updated Travel Restrictions on Eight Countries, Adding North Korea and Venezuela to List

Fox News Staff & AP, Fox News, September 24, 2017

President Trump on Sunday signed off on updated travel restrictions that would limit entry for people coming to the U.S. from eight countries, as the existing travel ban is set to expire.

The new travel restrictions, set to take effect Oct. 18, would slow or limit entry from citizens of North Korea, Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. North Korea and Venezuela were not listed in the earlier ban.

Iraqi citizens do not face the same travel restrictions, but will “be subject to additional scrutiny to determine if they pose risks” to U.S. security, the White House said.

The new policy could complicate the Supreme Court’s review of the order. The high court is scheduled to hear arguments over its legality on October 10.

Officials stressed that valid visas would not be revoked as a result of the proclamation. The order also permits, but doesn’t guarantee, case-by-case waivers.

“As President, I must act to protect the security and interested of the United States and its people,” the proclamation states. He later tweeted, “Making America Safe is my number one priority. We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet.”

The announcement comes the same day Trump’s temporary ban on visitors from six Muslim-majority countries is set to expire, 90 days after it went into effect.

The targeted countries are those that the Department of Homeland Security officials have said refuse to share information with the U.S., or haven’t taken necessary security precautions.

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