US to expand travel ban on 7 countries: report

WASHINGTON

The Donald Trump administration may expand a travel ban to the U.S. against seven African and Asian countries as early as next week, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

Citing administration officials familiar with the matter, the Journal said nations under consideration for new restrictions include Belarus, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan and Tanzania.

Trump confirmed the listing of additional countries to the newspaper Tuesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland but he did not specify which countries.

The Journal reported the list is not final, according to officials, but it could see additional countries.

According to the Politico newsite, the planned move does not necessarily ban all citizens from nations listed from entering the U.S. but the restrictions may target only certain government officials or types of visas.

Trump's executive order, largely seen as a "Muslim ban," was imposed soon after he took office and placed travel restrictions on anyone attempting to enter the U.S. from majority-Muslim countries of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, along with North Korea and Venezuela.

The ban was heavily criticized and faced multiple legal battles, forcing the administration to revise it.

After a third iteration, it was finally upheld by the Supreme Court in a 5-4 vote in June 2018.