The Trump administration in Washington is considering imposing extensive travel restrictions on citizens from dozens of countries as part of a new ban, with Pakistan placed in a category that could face a partial suspension of visa issuance if its government fails to address certain deficiencies within 60 days, according to sources familiar with the matter and an internal memo reviewed by Reuters.
The memo outlines a total of 41 countries divided into three groups. The first group consists of 10 nations, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea, which would face a complete suspension of visa issuance.
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The second group, comprising five countries—Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan—would be subject to partial suspensions affecting tourist, student, and certain immigrant visas, with some exceptions.
The third group includes 26 countries, such as Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, which could face a partial suspension of U.S. visa issuance if their governments fail to take corrective measures within 60 days, as stated in the memo.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that the list was not yet finalized and could be revised before receiving approval from the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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The New York Times was the first to report on the list.
This move echoes former President Donald Trump’s initial travel ban during his first term, which targeted travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations. That policy went through multiple revisions before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
On January 20, Trump signed an executive order mandating stricter security screening for all foreign nationals seeking entry into the U.S. to identify potential national security threats.
The order instructed several cabinet members to submit a list of countries by March 21 that should be subject to full or partial travel suspensions due to inadequate vetting and screening measures.
This directive is part of Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, which he initiated at the beginning of his second term.
In an October 2023 speech, Trump previewed his plan, vowing to impose restrictions on individuals from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and other regions deemed security threats.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.