Urgent warning as two popular tourist destinations quietly added to Trump’s travel ban this holiday season

CITIZENS of popular tourist destinations will not be able to enter the US as President Trump adds two more countries to the travel ban list.

The president restricted the visitation rights of two Caribbean nations, expanding the list of countries subject to the travel ban to 20.

The White House added Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica to the US travel ban list. 

Citizens of countries on the travel ban list are not permitted to travel to the US.

Only lawful permanent residents, holders of existing visas, or, in some special circumstances, athletes or diplomats will be allowed to enter the country, according to the White House.

Countries are banned due to “demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing to protect the Nation from national security and public safety threats.”

“It is the President’s duty to take action to ensure that those seeking to enter our country will not harm the American people,” the White House wrote in the statement to Travel + Leisure. 

“The restrictions are country-specific in order to encourage cooperation with the subject countries in recognition of each country’s unique circumstances.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Dominica said it was “actively engaging” with the US to “obtain formal clarification on the scope of the measures, the basis on which they were taken and the specific implications for Dominican travellers, students, families and other legitimate holders of U.S. visas.”

“The Government will continue to work closely with U.S. authorities to address any issues identified, to protect the interests of Dominican citizens and to ensure that accurate information is provided to the public,” the ministry wrote.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne told Antigua Newsroom that the US government misinterpreted the country’s residency program.

Browne said the US government’s interpretation “does not reflect the present reality of our laws.” 

The prime minister said he was working to “clarify the matter, to present the full and accurate facts, and to begin the process of resolving this issue with a view to restoring normal visa access for citizens of Antigua and Barbuda.”

Both Caribbean countries are classified as Level 1 travel advisories, the lowest level, which recommends that Americans “exercise normal precautions” while visiting.

Partial restrictions were also issued to Angola, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The president’s initial travel ban was made for residents from “high-risk” countries.

These countries included Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and more.