US Administration Considers Expanding Travel Restrictions to Dozens of Nations

The US administration is evaluating a broad travel ban that could affect citizens from 41 countries, including several Arab states, as part of new visa restrictions, sources familiar with the matter revealed.

An internal government memo outlines the proposed measures, dividing the targeted nations into three groups.

• The first group includes Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Cuba, and North Korea, among others, and would face a complete visa suspension.
• The second group lists Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan, which would experience partial suspensions affecting tourist, student, and immigrant visas, with some exceptions.
• The third group, consisting of 26 countries, including Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, could face visa issuance restrictions unless their governments enhance security measures within 60 days.

A US official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the list is still under review and awaits approval from key administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The proposed travel restrictions resemble the 2017 travel ban introduced by former President Donald Trump, which targeted several Muslim-majority nations and was upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018.

The latest directive, issued on January 20, calls for enhanced security vetting of foreign nationals to identify potential security risks. Cabinet members have been instructed to submit a finalized list of affected countries by March 21.