Trump administration weighs travel ban or restrictions for dozens of countries
New York Times reports Bhutan on 43-nation list for unclear reasons, Russians may also see some limits
The Trump administration is considering issuing sweeping travel restrictions for the citizens of dozens of countries as part of a new ban, The New York Times reported Friday.
US officials told the outlet that the 43 countries impacted would be divided into three separate groups, with different levels of restrictions.
The first group of 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Cuba, North Korea and Bhutan, among others, would be set for a full visa suspension. It was unclear why Bhutan was on the list, the report said.
In the second group, 10 countries, including Russia, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar and South Sudan, would face partial suspensions that would impact tourist and student visas, as well as other immigrant visas. Business travelers from countries on that list could be allowed to enter the US.
The report noted that the potential inclusion of Russia on the list came as US President Donald Trump was resetting relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow.
In the third group, countries that include Belarus, Pakistan, St. Lucia and Turkmenistan, among others, would be considered for a partial suspension of US visa issuance if their governments did not make efforts to address perceived deficiencies within 60 days, the report said.
The Times said it was unclear if the ban would impact people from those countries who already hold visas, or if it would only be for new permits.
US officials speaking on the condition of anonymity told the newspaper that the list had been created a number of weeks ago and could see changes.
The move harkens back to Trump’s first-term ban on travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Trump issued an executive order on January 20 requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the US to detect national security threats.
That order directed several cabinet members to submit by March 21 a list of countries from which travel should be partly or fully suspended because their “vetting and screening information is so deficient.”
Trump’s directive is part of an immigration crackdown he launched at the start of his second term.
He previewed his plan in an October 2023 speech, pledging to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and “anywhere else that threatens our security.”
