On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced expanded restrictions on the entry of foreign nationals from 24 countries, citing “persistent and serious deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that could threaten U.S. national security and public safety.
The White House released the announcement in a fact sheet titled “President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.”
The proclamation imposes a full suspension on eight countries and a partial suspension on 16 others, affecting both immigrants and nonimmigrants holding B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas. The administration described the measures as necessary to prevent entry by foreign nationals whose backgrounds cannot be adequately verified and to enforce U.S. immigration laws while advancing national security objectives.
Full Suspension Countries
Burkina Faso: Terrorist activities remain widespread. Visa overstay rates are 9.16% for B-1/B-2 and 22.95% for F, M, and J visas. The country has historically refused to repatriate removable nationals.
Laos: Overstay rates are high, with 28.34% for B-1/B-2 and 11.41% for F, M, and J visas, and Laos has also historically failed to accept returning nationals.
Mali: Ongoing armed conflicts and active terrorist groups make certain regions unsafe.
Niger: Terrorist groups continue planning kidnappings and attacks. Overstay rates are 13.41% for B-1/B-2 and 16.46% for F, M, and J visas.
Sierra Leone: Overstay rates are 16.48% for B-1/B-2 and 35.83% for F, M, and J visas. Authorities have historically refused to take back removable nationals.
South Sudan: Overstay rates are 6.99% for B-1/B-2 and 26.09% for F, M, and J visas. The country also fails to repatriate removable nationals.
Syria: Despite post-conflict recovery, the country lacks adequate central authority for civil documents and proper vetting procedures. Overstay rates are 7.09% for B-1/B-2 and 9.34% for F, M, and J visas.
Palestinian Authority-issued documents: Active U.S.-designated terrorist groups in the West Bank and Gaza compromise vetting, making proper assessment of travelers impossible.
Partial Suspension Countries
Affected countries include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These countries were flagged for high visa overstay rates, weak repatriation procedures, or other security concerns. Notably, Turkmenistan saw progress in vetting and identity-management systems, resulting in lifting nonimmigrant restrictions, though immigrant restrictions remain.
The restrictions cover regions as follows:
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Africa: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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Asia: Laos, Syria, Turkmenistan
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Caribbean / Oceania: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Tonga
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Middle East / Palestinian Territories: Palestinian Authority-issued documents
The fact sheet emphasizes that these measures are intended to prevent entry of foreign nationals whose risk profiles cannot be reliably assessed, while enforcing immigration laws and safeguarding U.S. citizens.
