US President Donald Trump  added seven more countries to the list of nations, including Syria and Palestine, whose citizens are banned from entering America. The move comes as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on immigration to ban foreigners who “intend to threaten” US security.

“The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” the White House said in a statement.

List of nations banned from entering the US

The revised policy, which takes effect on January 1, completely blocks travel for citizens from five additional countries – Syria, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Laos, as well as people holding documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.

Meanwhile, another 15 countries that will face partial restrictions are Angola, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Antigua, Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Trump’s earlier travel ban targeted 12 countries

In June, Trump barred citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States. They were Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Meanwhile, those facing tightening restrictions were Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Trump’s Tuesday decision follows the arrest of an Afghan national suspected of shooting two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Syria.