The Trump administration is weighing sweeping travel bans on 41 nations’ citizens, in an internal memo seen by Reuters. The step is part of a wider crackdown on immigration, which started during the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term.
Three Categories of Restrictions
The memo categorizes the 41 nations into three groups depending on the extent of visa restrictions.
Full Visa Suspension
10 nations, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea, would have their US visas suspended entirely.
Partial Visa Restrictions
The second category consists of Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan, where the US can limit tourist, student, and some immigrant visas, with few exceptions.
Conditional Visa Restrictions
The third list, including 26 countries, such as Pakistan, Bhutan, and Myanmar, can face suspensions of visas if their governments are unable to better vet within the next 60 days.
Changes Still Afoot
An anonymous US official indicated the list remains open for revision and requires clearance from high-ranking officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The policy mirrors Trump’s 2017 ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, which the US Supreme Court eventually sustained in 2018 following several changes.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Continues
Trump signed an executive order on January 20 mandating enhanced security screening for foreign visitors entering the US. The order compels officials to present a list of countries deemed high-risk by March 21 and identify countries that lack sufficient screening mechanisms.
Trump teased this expansion in an October 2023 speech, threatening to limit visitors from Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and other high-risk areas.
Waiting for Official Confirmation
The State Department has not yet spoken, but the New York Times initially broke the details of the list. If applied, these steps would have a profound impact on international travel and diplomatic relations.