The most stringent restriction level would flatly bar citizens from 11 countries from entering the United States.Credit...Ian Willms for The New York Times
By: Mohamed Duale, Horndiplomat editor
Washington, D.C. – The United States is preparing to enforce extensive travel restrictions on citizens from 43 countries, including Somalia, as part of a revived Trump-era policy aimed at tightening immigration controls, The New York Times has reported. The proposed policy, currently under review by the U.S. State Department, categorizes affected nations into three groups, imposing varying degrees of entry bans and visa restrictions.
Citizens from Yemen, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Venezuela, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba would be completely barred from entering the United States. Nationals from Russia, Belarus, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Turkmenistan, Eritrea, and South Sudan would face heightened visa scrutiny, including mandatory in-person interviews. Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Vanuatu, Gambia, the Dominican Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo, Liberia, Mauritania, Malawi, Mali, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Chad face bans or indefinite restrictions if their governments do not improve screening practices within a designated period.
The draft proposal is currently being assessed by U.S. diplomatic and security officials, who are evaluating whether including certain countries—such as Somalia—could impact diplomatic relations or counterterrorism cooperation. The restrictions stem from an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump in January, directing officials to identify nations with “deficient vetting and screening standards” for incoming travelers.
This proposed policy closely mirrors Trump’s first-term travel ban, which included Somalia but was revoked by the Biden administration in 2021. While the previous bans faced legal challenges, a revised version was ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. If finalized, the new restrictions could spark fresh legal battles, particularly concerning exemptions for green card holders and existing visa holders from affected nations.
While the U.S. government has not confirmed an official implementation date, sources familiar with the matter suggest that the final decision on the policy could be made within weeks. Modifications to the list of affected countries may still occur before the restrictions are formally enacted.
