Trump Administration Considers Sweeping Travel Restrictions for Citizens from Dozens of Countries in Africa

 

Trump Administration Considers Sweeping Travel Restrictions for Citizens from Dozens of Countries

The Trump administration is reportedly mulling new travel restrictions that could impact citizens from dozens of countries, a move that aligns with President Trump’s broader immigration agenda. According to sources familiar with the matter and an internal memo seen by Reuters, the proposed travel ban would target 41 countries, which would be divided into three distinct categories based on perceived security risks.

The memo reveals that the Trump administration’s proposed travel restrictions would place a blanket ban on travelers from 10 countries, while five other countries would face partial suspensions on certain types of visas. Additionally, a further 26 nations could face partial suspensions if they fail to address security concerns.

The list of affected countries is still being reviewed and has not yet received final approval. It remains subject to change as internal discussions continue, with sources citing U.S. officials as saying that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has yet to sign off on the policy. Reuters first reported the contents of the memo, which had been circulating within the administration. The New York Times had previously broken the story regarding the potential new restrictions.

This latest move is in line with an executive order President Trump signed on January 20, which mandates heightened security screening for foreign nationals seeking to enter the U.S. As part of the order, cabinet members were instructed to submit a list of countries to be considered for partial or full travel suspensions. The deadline for submitting the list is March 21, and the memo suggests that the administration is working within this timeline to finalize its decisions.

The new measures would further bolster Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown, which he has made a central part of his policy agenda during his second term in office. Last October, Trump laid the groundwork for these additional restrictions in a speech, indicating that his administration would target travelers from countries like Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and others that are deemed to pose national security risks. These remarks were seen as a precursor to the current discussions around the potential travel bans.

According to the memo, the 10 countries that would face a full suspension of visas are Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen. Citizens of these nations would be prohibited from obtaining any type of U.S. visa, including those for tourism, business, and other travel purposes.

In addition, the memo outlines a second group of countries that would face partial suspensions. Travelers from Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan could still apply for certain visas, but restrictions would apply to tourist, student, and some immigrant visas, limiting access for people seeking to enter the U.S. under those categories.

The third category involves 26 countries where partial suspension is being considered, contingent on those nations taking steps to address security concerns. If these nations are unable or unwilling to meet U.S. security requirements, they could face restrictions on various types of visas. These countries include 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.

While the U.S. State Department has not yet commented on the matter, the scope of the proposed restrictions suggests that the Trump administration is taking a more aggressive stance on immigration, specifically regarding individuals from nations considered security threats. The administration has previously argued that such measures are necessary to protect U.S. citizens from terrorism and to ensure that foreign nationals entering the country undergo proper vetting.

The potential new travel bans would likely face significant legal and political scrutiny, given the precedents set by previous attempts to impose similar restrictions during Trump’s first term. Those earlier measures were met with widespread protests, legal challenges, and opposition from various states and advocacy groups.

As the administration works to finalize the list and policies, many are watching closely to see how these proposed changes will affect diplomatic relations, the U.S. economy, and the thousands of individuals who rely on travel to the U.S. for work, education, and family reasons.