U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to implement a new travel ban that could once again restrict entry from several Muslim-majority countries. According to sources close to the matter, Trump’s review of security and vetting risks is nearing completion, and a new ban is expected soon.
Countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan are likely to be included in the updated list, along with other nations that were part of his first travel ban in 2017. Although Joe Biden repealed the original ban in 2021, concerns over potential terrorist threats from the Middle East have prompted Trump to take action again.
Trump had previously stated during his campaign that he would expand the travel ban to include individuals from Gaza following the Hamas terror attack on Israel. The new ban could impact thousands of Afghans who had been cleared for resettlement in the U.S. as refugees or on Special Immigrant Visas due to their risks of Taliban retaliation for aiding the U.S. during the Afghanistan war.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are among the countries expected to be recommended for inclusion in the travel ban list, according to anonymous sources.