INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Trump administration is considering issuing sweeping travel restrictions for the citizens of dozens of countries as part of a new ban,
according to sources familiar with the matter and an internal memo seen by Reuters.The memo lists a total of 41 countries divided into three
The first group of 10 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba and North Korea among others, would be set for a full visa
suspension.In the second group, five countries — Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar and South Sudan — would face partial suspensions that
would impact tourist and student visas as well as other immigrant visas, with some exceptions.In the third group, a total of 26 countries
that includes Belarus, Pakistan and Turkmenistan among others would be considered for a partial suspension of United States visa issuance
if their governments &do not make efforts to address deficiencies within 60 days&, the memo said.A United States official speaking on the
condition of anonymity cautioned there could be changes on the list and that it was yet to be approved by the administration, including
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio.The New York Times first reported on the list of countries.The move harkens back to President
Donald 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 United States 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 that 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.The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.The post Trump administration weighs travel
ban on dozens of countries, memo says first appeared on Ariana News.
