Donald Trump's Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, has publicly called for a sweeping 'full travel ban' targeting countries she accuses of sending dangerous individuals to the United States. The announcement followed a meeting with the president and comes in the wake of a violent attack on two National Guard members in Washington DC.
Noem's Hardline Proposal and Trump's Endorsement
In a fiery social media post, Kristi Noem declared she had recommended the drastic measure to President Trump. "I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies," she wrote. Noem framed the issue as a defence of American values and resources, arguing foreign nationals should not be allowed to harm citizens or drain public funds.
Her proposal received an apparent endorsement when Donald Trump shared the post on his own Truth Social platform. This aligns with recent actions from the Trump administration, which has already announced a halt to all immigration from Afghanistan and vowed to "permanently pause migration" from numerous Third World countries.
The Trigger: A Deadly Ambush in the Capital
The political call to action was precipitated by a shocking incident last week. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old father of five, is alleged to have carried out an ambush-style shooting at the Farragut West metro station in central Washington DC. The attack critically wounded two National Guard soldiers.
One of the victims, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom of the West Virginia National Guard, tragically succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving Day. Her colleague, 24-year-old Andrew Woolfe, remains in a critical condition. Law enforcement sources indicate the gunman specifically targeted the soldiers, firing at close range.
Investigators believe Lakanwal entered the United States during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 under the Biden administration's Operation Allies Welcome. The operation was designed to resettle vulnerable Afghans, including those who assisted US forces. The suspect, who was shot during the incident and is now in custody, is not cooperating with police, according to reports.
Expanding Policy and Military Response
In response to the violence, President Trump has ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to deploy in Washington DC, supplementing the 2,300 already stationed there as part of a crime reduction initiative. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth condemned the assault as a "cowardly, dastardly act, targeting the best of America."
The administration's planned immigration review will re-examine cases involving individuals from 19 countries previously covered by Trump's travel ban, including Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Haiti, Sudan, Yemen, Libya, and Venezuela. While Noem did not specify which nations would face the new proposed 'full ban,' her rhetoric suggests a significant escalation of existing restrictive policies, directly linking immigration to national security and the protection of American service members.
