Trump administration considers travel ban on Pakistan, Bhutan
What's the story
The Trump administration is reportedly considering varying levels of travel restrictions for citizens of several countries.
An internal memo has listed these nations in three separate categories according to Reuters.
The first category includes 10 countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea that would be subjected to an outright suspension of visa.
Partial suspension
Countries facing partial visa suspension
The second category has five countries: Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan. These nations would face partial suspension of tourist/student visas and other immigrant visas with some exceptions.
The third category has 26 nations including Pakistan and Bhutan. They could face a partial halt to US visa issuance if their governments don't remedy deficiencies within 60 days.
Approval pending
List subject to change and awaiting approval
However, a US official, requesting anonymity, warned that the list was still fluid and hasn't been approved by the administration yet.
The move is similar to Trump's first-term ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, which was eventually upheld by the SC in 2018 after multiple revisions.
On January 20, Trump signed an executive order requiring stricter security vetting for foreign nationals looking to enter the US.
Immigration crackdown
Trump's immigration crackdown and future plans
Trump's order is also a part of an immigration crackdown he started at the beginning of his second term.
He laid out his plan in a speech in October 2023, vowing to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and "anywhere else that threatens our security."
The State Department hasn't commented on this issue yet.