Kristi Noem has delivered a stark recommendation to President Trump concerning immigration as he prepares to address the country today (2 December).
President Trump is scheduled to speak to the nation at 2pm ET from the White House, with a range of topics expected to be discussed.
Among the anticipated topics is Venezuela, following the president’s recent declaration that the airspace above and around the country was “closed.”
On November 29, Trump tweeted: “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Additionally, immigration is likely to feature prominently in Trump’s speech, particularly after last week’s shooting in Washington DC. The incident, reportedly involving an Afghan national, has prompted the president to implement significant changes to U.S. immigration policies, including the suspension of requests from Afghanistan by the US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS).
However, Kristi Noem, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, believes this approach should go further and has proposed a ‘full travel ban.’
On December 1, she tweeted: “I just met with the President. I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.
“Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom—not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS.
“WE DON’T WANT THEM. NOT ONE.”
Details regarding the specific countries Noem targets for the ban or its implementation timeline remain unclear. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) informed The Guardian that an announcement on this list is forthcoming.
The proposal from Noem has reportedly received Trump’s support, as confirmed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“Several months ago [Trump] announced a travel ban on 19 third-world and failed state countries around the world,” Leavitt stated during a press conference.
“Secretary Noem announced tonight she is recommending that travel ban widen and cover more countries around the globe.”
Leavitt added: “Coming to the US is a privilege, it is not a right. If you abuse that privilege, and if you don’t align with the values of the US, and you don’t respect our country, our culture, our laws, and our people you are not welcome here.”