The Trump administration is considering imposing broad travel restrictions on citizens from dozens of countries from entering the United States of America as part of a new immigration policy, according to American media.
The list of affected nations includes 43 countries. Nigeria is not among them although reports indicate that the draft is not final and may still be adjusted.
In 2020, Nigeria was added to a list of countries facing immigration restrictions during President Donald Trump’s first term. At the time, the White House cited Nigeria’s failure to meet identity-management and information-sharing requirements critical to U.S. national security.
The policy led to the suspension of certain types of visas for Nigerian nationals, though it mainly affected immigrant visas rather than short-term visits for business or tourism. Nigeria was listed alongside Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar.
The latest proposal divides the affected 43 countries into three categories. According to a memo first reported by The New York Times, the first group of 10 countries—including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea—could face a full suspension of U.S. visa issuance.
A second group, comprising Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan, would see partial suspensions impacting tourist and student visas.
The third category consists of countries that could face restrictions unless their governments take action within 60 days to address deficiencies in security screening and information sharing.
They are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe.
Immigration crackdown
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, cautioned that the list remains subject to change and has yet to receive final approval from the Trump administration, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to Reuters.
The new directive builds on Trump’s ongoing push for stricter immigration policies, which began early in his second term. In January, he signed an executive order mandating enhanced security vetting for all foreign nationals seeking entry into the U.S.
The order directed relevant cabinet members to submit by March 21 a list of countries requiring partial or full travel suspensions due to security concerns.
Trump’s latest immigration crackdown aligns with his campaign promise in October 2023 to restrict entry from several high-risk regions, including the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. The U.S. State Department has yet to issue an official response regarding the proposed travel restrictions, according to Reuters.
Discover more from Pluboard
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.