The Trump administration is said to be considering a revised travel ban that may affect citizens of a broad range of countries, as reported by The New York Times. The report, citing unnamed sources, says the proposed list comprises 43 countries, which fall under three different levels of travel bans.
The initial group consists of 10 nations, such as Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea, that would be subject to a total visa suspension.
There is a second group with five countries—Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan—subject to partial suspensions on tourist, student, and other immigrant visas, although some exceptions might exist.
The third tier includes 26 nations, including Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, whose US visa issuance can be partially suspended if their governments don’t take steps to cure enumerated deficiencies in a 60-day period.
A senior US official who wished not to be named told Reuters that the list is still not finalized and is awaiting final clearance from the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
On January 20, Trump signed an executive order that called for increased security vetting of foreigners who want to enter the US in order to identify potential national security risks. The order asked cabinet members to provide by March 21 a list of countries that could have partial or complete travel suspension because of poor vetting and screening procedures.
This new push is one component of a wider immigration crackdown begun at the beginning of Trump’s second term. In an October 2023 address, the president described proposals to limit travel from areas identified as security risks, such as the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.
The suggested travel ban is reminiscent of Trump’s previous restrictions on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations, a policy which was subject to several changes before being confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2018. The original ban aimed at citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen prompted global outcry and legal battles. While Iraq and Sudan were later dropped from the list, the Supreme Court maintained a subsequent version of the ban which added North Korea and Venezuela.
