The small Pacific nation of Tonga is one of more than a dozen countries to be hit with visa and entry restrictions on 1 January as the Trump administration tightens its crackdown on immigration.
In December, the US said it would further restrict and limit the entry of foreign nationals to protect the country from “national security and public safety threats”.
The measures included expanding the US travel ban to bar nationals from five more countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria.
The US also issued “partial restrictions and entry limitations” on 15 additional countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, the Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Despite the restrictions being categorised as “partial”, visas will only be issued in a handful of exceptional circumstances – to US government employees, for example.
Tonga – population 100,000 – is the only Pacific island country included in the list. The White House said the restrictions were justified by a high rate of Tongans overstaying their visas – more than 14% for some visa categories, the US government said.
The US holds the largest number of diaspora Tongans, estimated at about 70,000. Most are in San Francisco, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Altogether, there are about 150,000 Tongans outside Tonga.
The ban has been met with anger and concern, with many questioning the justification. “Tongans are not a threat to US security,” said Dr Tevita Kaili, a Tongan professor at Brigham Young University, Hawaii.
“The Tongan government sent troops to both Iraq and Afghanistan to support US security. In the United Nations, the majority of the Tongan government’s votes align with the US.
“The claim that the US is protecting its security by restricting Tongans from travelling to the US is unfounded.”
The restrictions do not only affect those wishing to travel to the US, but also Tongans already on work or student visas in the US, who do not wish to travel home as they may not be able to return. Kaili expressed concern that at graduation ceremonies, no parents or relatives would be able to travel to the US to celebrate with their children.
“It will be sad to see a decline in the number of Tongan students at my university in January 2026 due to the travel restrictions. Currently, Tongans constitute the second-largest international student population at my university,” Kaili said.
Senator Jarrett Keohokalole from Hawaii was also critical. “I strongly denounce the inclusion of Tonga on this list. Singling out Tonga is unjustified and deeply offensive to the people of Hawaii, where Polynesian identity is foundational.”
The decision disproportionately harmed Pacific island communities and reflected a broader pattern of immigration policies targeting communities of colour, Keohokalole said.
He cited Hawaii’s longstanding genealogical, cultural and family connections with Tonga and the broader Pacific, with many residents maintaining close ties to relatives overseas. Adding Tonga to the federal travel ban unfairly singled out Pacific island communities and sent an alarming message to Polynesians both abroad and in Hawaii, Keohokalole said.
Melino Maka, a Tongan community leader in New Zealand, echoed the concerns.
“I know that our family members have made the US their home for many generations but right now with what this current administration does not see us worthy, those connections are based on the colour of our skin. For my money I’d rather work on the current relationship with China rather than chasing this road to nowhere.”
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