The Donald Trump administration is set to intensify its crackdown on illegal immigration, with his team now mulling to ban citizens from 41 countries from travelling to the US.
Among these India's neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan could face ban in the coming days, according to sources quoted by Reuters. Pakistan has, however, rejected reports that suggested US travel ban as "speculative". Besides Pakistan and Afghanistan, the list also includes two other neighbouring countries of India: Myanmar and Bhutan.
In the draft proposal, 10 countries have been included in the list of nations facing full travel ban. These include:
* Afghanistan
* Cuba
* Iran
* Libya
* North Korea
* Somalia
* Sudan
* Syria
* Venezuela
* Yemen
In the second list, five nations could face restriction of tourist and student visas. These include:
* Eritrea
* Haiti
* Laos
* Myanmar
* South Sudan
In the third list, 26 countries will be given two months to rectify concerns. Further action will be taken against these countries if they fail to "address deficiencies within 60 days". These include:
* Angola
* Antigua and Barbuda
* Belarus
* Benin
* Bhutan
* Burkina Faso
* Cabo Verde
* Cambodia
* Cameroon
* Chad
* Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Dominica
* Equatorial Guinea
* Gambia
* Liberia
* Malawi
* Mauritania
* Pakistan
* Republic of the Congo
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Lucia
* Sao Tome and Principe
* Sierra Leone
* East Timor
* Turkmenistan
* Vanuatu
The affected people would include refugees from Afghanistan as well as those on Special Immigrant Visas after working for the US against the Taliban.
On January 20, Trump inked an executive order that sought extensive vetting of any foreigners entering the US to detect security issues.
A US official, who spoke to the news agency anonymously, said the list could be altered based on discussions pending final approval by the Trump administration. The deadline for cabinet members to submit their suggestions in March 21.
Following the Hamas attack on Israel, Trump said in an October 2023 speech that he will restrict people from Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and "anywhere else that threatens our security".
In his first term, Trump had banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations. The policy that was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018 was repealed by former President Joe Biden in 2021. Biden said it was "a stain on our national conscience."