Trump issues new travel ban on African nations
The Trump administration is considering a sweeping new travel ban that would impose visa restrictions on citizens from 41 countries.
As The New Arab reported on March 15th, the initial proposed ban includes Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Cuba, and North Korea with countries facing a full suspension of U.S. visas.
The second group includes Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan and would see partial suspensions, particularly affecting tourist and student visas.
A third group of 26 countries, including Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, would be subject to restrictions unless their governments improve security vetting processes within 60 days.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized that the list is not yet finalized and remains subject to approval by the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The move echoes Trump’s controversial 2017 travel ban, which initially barred entry from several majority-Muslim nations and faced multiple legal challenges before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
The new travel ban is part of a broader immigration crackdown from Trump in his second presidency.
Trump ran on an isolationist promise and has looked to deliver that promise to voters in the first months of his presidency, issuing tariffs on trading partners and now ordering travel bans on nations.
On January 20, Trump issued an executive order calling for stricter security screening for foreign nationals to detect potential threats.
The directive requires cabinet officials to submit a list of countries with inadequate vetting by March 21, paving the way for suspensions.
Trump had previously outlined his vision in an October 2023 speech, vowing to bar entry from Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and other regions he deemed security risks.
This latest policy shift signals a continuation of his hardline approach to immigration and national security.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
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