US considers expanding travel bans to over 40 cuntries

File Source: Euro News

The Trump administration is considering imposing new travel bans on 43 countries, potentially halting visa applications from Afghanistan, Iran, and Syria, US media reported on Friday. According to The New York Times, US diplomatic and security officials have drafted a list outlining three categories of restrictions, with varying levels of severity.

The proposed measures include a full entry ban on nationals from 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. Additionally, travelers from Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and Pakistan would be denied entry on either immigrant or tourist visas. The list also includes nations such as Angola, Benin, and Cambodia, which could face restrictions unless their governments meet US demands to improve what Washington considers deficient security and vetting procedures within 60 days.

The list was reportedly prepared by the State Department several weeks ago, with potential modifications expected before it is formally presented to the White House. Anonymous sources cited by The New York Times indicated that the details of the bans remain subject to change.

Trump had previously signed an executive order on January 20, shortly after taking office for his second term, mandating the State Department to compile a list of countries where “vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries.” The latest proposal signals an expansion of his administration’s longstanding immigration and national security policies, which have drawn criticism from civil rights groups and foreign governments.

If enacted, the new travel restrictions could mark one of the most sweeping immigration crackdowns under Trump’s presidency, further straining diplomatic ties with the affected countries.