The Trump administration is weighing sweeping new travel restrictions that could affect citizens from 41 countries, including Afghanistan, according to an internal memo reviewed by Reuters.
The proposal divides the countries into three groups. The first group—comprising 10 nations, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea—would face a full suspension of U.S. visa issuance.
A second group of five countries—Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan—would see partial suspensions affecting tourist, student, and some immigrant visas.
A third category of 26 nations, including Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, would face visa restrictions unless their governments improve security vetting within 60 days, the memo states.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, cautioned that the list is not yet final and still requires approval from the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The move echoes former President Donald Trump’s 2017 travel ban, which restricted entry from several Muslim-majority nations and was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Trump’s latest immigration crackdown began with an executive order on January 20, requiring intensified security screening for foreign travelers. The order also directed officials to submit recommendations by March 21 on countries whose citizens should face visa suspensions due to inadequate vetting.
In a 2023 speech, Trump previewed his plan to block travel from nations such as Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, stating that the U.S. must restrict entry from “anywhere else that threatens our security.”
The State Department has not commented on the proposed restrictions.
