U.S. President Donald Trump is considering imposing broad travel restrictions on citizens from 41 countries as part of a new travel ban, according to sources familiar with the proposal and an internal memo reviewed by Reuters.
The list, which is still subject to approval, has not been finalized by the administration, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The New York Times was the first to report on the proposed list of countries that may face full or partial travel suspensions due to concerns over inadequate vetting processes.
Trump’s executive order, issued on January 20, calls for heightened security screening for foreigners entering the U.S. and mandates a review of countries deemed to pose security threats. By March 21, U.S. officials must submit a list of nations recommended for travel restrictions.
This move is in line with Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, which he outlined in an October 2023 speech. The proposal includes regions like Gaza, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, which are considered potential security risks.
According to the memo, the 41 countries fall into three categories:
1. Full Visa Suspension (10 countries): Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen.
2. Partial Suspension on Tourist, Student, and Some Immigrant Visas (5 countries): Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan.
3. Potential Partial Suspension if Security Concerns Are Not Addressed (26 countries): Algeria, Angola, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Pakistan, Senegal, Tanzania, and Turkmenistan.
The U.S. State Department has not yet provided a comment on the proposal.
Source: Vanguard
