Homeland Security chief urges sweeping travel ban, rights groups raise alarm
Legal analysts say a blanket ban based on broad characterizations of entire populations would likely face immediate judicial scrutiny
WASHINGTON (MNTV) — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday said she has advised President Donald Trump to impose a broad travel ban on multiple countries, using inflammatory language that sparked immediate criticism from rights advocates and legal experts.
Noem said on the social media platform X that she “just met with the President,” adding that she recommended “a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.” She framed the proposed ban as a measure to protect public safety and conserve national resources.
Claiming that U.S. policy must “put Americans first,” Noem argued that the country’s founders “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.”
Noem’s remarks echo longstanding far-right narratives that portray immigrants as criminals and economic burdens—claims repeatedly challenged by research.
Numerous studies show immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born citizens and contribute billions to the U.S. economy through taxes, labor, and entrepreneurship.
Additionally, sweeping travel bans based on nationality have faced constitutional challenges in the past, including Trump’s 2017 “Muslim ban,” parts of which were struck down before a narrowed version was upheld.
Legal analysts say a blanket ban based on broad and derogatory characterizations of entire populations would likely face immediate judicial scrutiny.
Rights groups also warn that such rhetoric dehumanizes migrants and risks fueling xenophobia, especially when top officials conflate immigration with criminality without evidence.
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