Trump's new travel ban? 41 countries could face visa restrictions

The Trump administration is considering imposing extensive travel restrictions on citizens from dozens of countries as part of a new immigration ban, according to sources familiar with the matter and an internal memo reviewed by news agency Reuters.

The memo lists 41 countries categorised into three groups. The first group, comprising 10 nations—including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea—would face a full visa suspension, effectively barring entry into the United States.

In the second category, five countries would see partial suspensions affecting tourist, student, and other immigrant visas, though some exceptions would apply.

The third group consists of 26 countries that could face a partial suspension of US visa issuance unless their governments take action within 60 days to address security concerns, as outlined in the memo.

A senior US official, speaking anonymously, emphasised that the list is not final and remains subject to approval by the administration, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The New York Times first reported on the list of affected nations.

The proposal echoes Trump’s controversial travel ban from his first term, which targeted travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries. That policy, after multiple legal battles, was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

On January 20, Trump signed an executive order mandating stricter security vetting for foreign nationals seeking entry into the US. The order requires several cabinet members to submit a list by March 21 of countries whose vetting and screening processes are deemed inadequate, leading to potential travel suspensions.

This directive aligns with Trump's broader immigration crackdown, a key initiative in his second term. In an October 2023 speech, he vowed to restrict entry from regions he described as security threats, including the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.

The State Department has not yet responded to a request for comment from Reuters.