Trump Administration Adds North Korea, Venezuela to New Travel Ban

U.S. President Donald J. Trump introduced a new ban on Sunday that imposes travel restrictions on foreigners from eight countries, including North Korea, Venezuela and Chad.

“The Secretary of Homeland Security assesses that the following countries continue to have ‘inadequate’ identity-management protocols, information-sharing practices, and risk factors…such that entry restrictions and limitations are recommended:  Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen,” Mr. Trump said in a proclamation released by the White House.

Making America Safe is my number one priority. We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet.https://t.co/KJ886okyfC

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017

The Trump administration introduced the original temporary version of the ban in January. It was signed as an executive order and restricted travel for citizens of seven countries: Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Yemen and Syria. In addition, the ban targeted refugees.

The new regulations establish minimum requirements for international cooperation needed to conduct U.S. visa and immigration vetting.

Mr. Trump explained adding North Korea to the new ban by saying Pyongyang does not cooperate with U.S. authorities “in any respect and fails to satisfy all information-sharing requirements.”

“The entry into the United States of nationals of North Korea as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby suspended,” the proclamation said.

The Venezuelan government was also called “uncooperative.”

“Venezuela’s government fails to share public-safety and terrorism-related information adequately…and has been assessed to be not fully cooperative with respect to receiving its nationals subject to final orders of removal from the United States,” the proclamation noted.

The Trump administration called Chad “an important and valuable counterterrorism partner,” but said it does not “adequately” share public-safety and terrorism-related information.

The White House said in a release that the new travel restrictions are conditional, and the countries can get relief from them by improving data-sharing practices.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued an additional statement on the new ban saying that Mr. Trump is “carrying out his duty to protect the American people” by imposing new travel restrictions.

“The State Department will coordinate with other federal agencies to implement these measures in an orderly manner,” Mr. Tillerson said. “We will continue to work closely with our allies and partners who share our commitment to national and global security.”