Trump administration considers travel ban on dozens of countries: Reports

The Trump administration is considering imposing broad travel restrictions on citizens from dozens of countries, according to sources familiar with the matter and an internal memo obtained by Reuters.

The memo outlines a three-tiered system for travel bans affecting 41 countries.

The first group includes 10 nations, such as Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea, where a full visa suspension would be implemented.

The second group, consisting of Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan, would face partial suspensions. These restrictions would apply to tourist, student, and other immigrant visas, with some exceptions.

The third group, which includes 26 countries like Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, may face partial visa suspensions if their governments fail to address specific deficiencies within 60 days.

A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to Reuters, cautioned that the list could change and that the restrictions had not yet been approved by the administration, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

This move echoes President Donald Trump’s first-term travel ban, which targeted citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. That policy, after several revisions, was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

On January 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order to enhance security vetting for foreign nationals seeking US entry in an effort to detect national security threats.

The order instructed cabinet members to submit a list of countries with deficient screening and vetting processes by March 21, in preparation for possible travel suspensions.

This directive is part of Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, a key priority he outlined in his campaign, where he pledged to restrict travel from countries such as Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and others deemed to pose security risks.