The Trump administration is considering banning travel to dozens of nations, according to a memo

According to an internal memo seen by Reuters and people familiar with the situation, the Trump administration is thinking of enacting a new ban that would include broad travel restrictions for citizens of dozens of nations.

There are 41 countries included in all, split into three groups, according to the letter. A complete ban on visas would be imposed on the top ten nations, which include, among others, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea.

Five nations—Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan—would be subject to partial suspensions in the second category, which would affect student and tourist visas as well as other immigration visas, with some exclusions.

According to the document, if the governments of 26 nations—including Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan—”do not make efforts to address deficiencies within 60 days,” their visas to the United States may be partially suspended.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a U.S. official warned that the list might change and that the administration, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, had not yet authorized it.

The list of nations was initially reported by the New York Times.

The action is reminiscent to President Donald Trump’s first-term travel ban on citizens of seven countries with a majority of Muslims, which underwent multiple revisions until the Supreme Court affirmed it in 2018.

On January 20, Trump signed an executive order mandating that all foreign nationals applying for entry into the United States undergo more thorough security screening in order to identify potential national security risks.

According to that directive, a number of cabinet members were required to produce a list of nations whose “vetting and screening information is so deficient” by March 21 in order for travel to be partially or completely prohibited.

Trump started an immigration crackdown at the beginning of his second administration, which includes this directive.

In a speech in October 2023, he gave a sneak peek at his plan, promising to exclude individuals from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and “anywhere else that threatens our security.”

A request for comment from Reuters was not immediately answered by the State Department.

Humeyra Pamuk reported; Costas Pitas wrote; Sam Holmes edited.