Chicago – March 15, 2025
The Trump administration is considering new travel restrictions that could affect citizens from dozens of countries, according to sources and an internal memo seen by Reuters. The memo lists 41 countries, divided into three groups.
The first group includes 10 countries, such as Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea, where a full visa suspension would be put in place.
The second group includes five countries: Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan. These countries would face partial visa suspensions, affecting tourist, student, and some immigrant visas, with a few exceptions.
The third group includes 26 countries, including Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan. These countries would face partial visa suspensions unless their governments address certain issues within 60 days.
A U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, warned that the list could change, and the plan still needs approval from the administration, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In January 2020, Trump signed an executive order to increase security checks on foreigners entering the U.S. to find any potential national security threats. The order instructed cabinet members to create a list of countries where travel should be limited due to poor vetting or screening processes.
