US President Donald Trump’s administration is considering imposing travel restrictions on dozens of countries, including Pakistan.
According to a memo obtained by the British news agency Reuters, a total of 41 countries have been divided into three separate groups. The first group of 10 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba and North Korea, will see a complete visa suspension.
The second group of five countries will face a partial suspension, which will include exemptions for tourist and student visas, as well as other visas.
The memo said a total of 26 countries in the third group would be considered for a partial suspension of US visa issuance if their governments “do not make efforts to address the deficiencies within 60 days.” Speaking on condition of anonymity, a US official said:
The list is subject to change and is subject to approval by the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The New York Times first reported the list of countries affected by the ban.
The move echoes President Donald Trump’s first-term ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, a policy that was repeatedly challenged before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Trump issued an executive order on January 20 that required security checks on any foreign national seeking to enter the United States to determine whether they posed a national security threat.
The order directed several Cabinet members to submit by March 21 a list of countries from which travel should be partially or completely suspended.
Trump’s directive is part of an immigration crackdown he launched at the start of his second term.
