‘Tonga is not a threat’: anger as small Pacific nation falls under Trump visa restrictions | Tonga
The tiny Pacific nation of Tonga is one of more than a dozen countries that will face visa and entry restrictions on Jan. 1 as the Trump administration tightens its crackdown on immigration.
in decemberThe United States 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 block citizens from five additional countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria.
The US has also imposed “partial restrictions and entry restrictions” on 15 more countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Although the restrictions are classified as “partial,” visas will only be issued in a few exceptional cases (for example, to U.S. government employees).
Tonga, with a population of 100,000, is the only Pacific island nation on the list. The White House said the restrictions were justified by the high rate of Tongans overstaying their visas – more than 14% for some visa categories.
The United States is home to the largest number of Tongan diasporas, estimated at approximately 70,000. Most are in San Francisco, California and Salt Lake City, Utah. In total, there are approximately 150,000 Tongans outside Tonga.
The ban was met with anger and concern, with many questioning its rationale. Tonga professor Dr. from Brigham Young University in Hawaii. “Tongans are not a threat to US security,” Tevita Kaili said.
“The Tongan government has sent troops to both Iraq and Afghanistan to support the security of the U.S. The majority of the Tongan government’s votes at the United Nations are in line with the U.S. vote.
“The claim that the United States is protecting the security of Tongans by restricting their travel to the United States is unfounded.”
The restrictions affect not only those who want to travel to the United States, but also Tongans who are already in the United States on work or student visas and do not want to return to their country because they may not be able to return. Kaili expressed concern that no parents or relatives would be able to travel to the United States to celebrate with their children at graduation ceremonies.
“It will be sad to see a decline in the number of Tongan students at my university in January 2026 due to travel restrictions. Currently, Tongans make up the second largest international student population at my university,” Kaili said.
Senator Jarrett Keohokalole of Hawaii also criticized the situation. “I strongly condemn the inclusion of Tonga on this list. Excluding Tonga is unfair and deeply offensive to the people of Hawaii, for whom Polynesian identity is fundamental.”
Keohokalole said the decision disproportionately harms Pacific island communities and reflects a broader pattern of immigration policy targeting communities of color.
He touched on Hawaii’s long-standing ancestry, culture and family ties to Tonga and the Pacific Ocean; many residents maintained close ties with relatives abroad. Keohokalole said adding Tonga to the federal travel ban unfairly targets Pacific island communities and sends a worrying message to Polynesians both abroad and in Hawaii.
Melino Maka, leader of the Tongan community in New Zealand, also echoed his concerns.
“I know our family members have made the United States their home for generations, but right now those connections are based on the color of our skin because the current administration deems us unworthy. For my money, I’d rather work on our current relationship with China than chase this path to nowhere.”
