According to undisclosed sources, the Trump administration is reportedly considering banning entry to the U.S. for travelers from certain foreign nations
The measure could go into effect next week. Already at the time of his inauguration, the MAGA leader signed an executive order instructing members of his cabinet to draw up a list of countries that should be subject to full or partial travel restrictions because “their checks and screening are deficient.”
This is not the first time the MAGA leader has championed such an initiative. Already during his first term, Trump banned travel from numerous countries. The measure, at the time, affected 7 percent of the world’s population and especially Muslim-majority nations.
The list included Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The latter are now expected to be joined by Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The ban could have considerable consequences in Afghanistan and on the thousands of citizens who have applied for or been granted special immigrant visas after working for the U.S. military during its 20-year presence there.
About 200,000 Afghans are awaiting resettlement in the United States or approval of their visa applications. Now they risk retaliation from the Taliban precisely for having assisted U.S. troops.
For this reason, this week #AfghanEvac, a coalition of groups working to resettle Afghans, issued a warning on its social channels, communicating: “If you have a valid U.S. visa in your passport or travel document, you should make travel arrangements immediately. Nothing has officially changed yet, but sources within the U.S. government indicate that a travel ban for Afghan nationals may be announced within the next week.”
During his first term, Trump, after two unsuccessful attempts, succeeded in promoting a ban on entry into the U.S. for citizens of six Muslim-majority countries and those of North Korea. The measure remained in effect until 2021, when it was lifted by Joe Biden.
