The Trump administration is weighing new travel restrictions on citizens from 43 countries as part of its latest immigration crackdown, which began at the start of the president’s second term.

According to an internal memo seen by Reuters, the affected nations are categorized into three groups. The first group, which includes Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and DPRK, would face a full visa suspension.

A second group, comprising Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan, would see partial suspensions impacting tourist, student, and some immigrant visas, though certain exceptions would apply.

The third group includes 26 nations, such as Pakistan, Belarus, and Turkmenistan, which would face a partial suspension of visa issuance unless their governments address "deficiencies" within 60 days.

The bigger picture

A US official, speaking anonymously, indicated that the list could change and has yet to receive final approval from the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Trump had already signed an executive order in January mandating stricter security screenings for foreigners seeking entry into the US, citing national security concerns.

The order required cabinet members to recommend by March 21 which countries should face full or partial travel restrictions due to "deficient vetting and screening information."

In October 2023, Trump pledged to block entry from Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and "anywhere else that threatens our security."

This move echoes Trump’s 2017 travel ban on seven majority-Muslim nations, a policy that was challenged in court but ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.