President Donald Trump is poised to implement a new travel ban that may restrict entry for individuals from Afghanistan and Pakistan into the United States as early as next week, according to Reuters. The report stated that additional countries might also be included in the ban, though specifics were not disclosed.
This potential ban echoes Trump’s earlier travel restrictions during his first term, which targeted seven majority-Muslim nations and faced multiple revisions before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Former President Joe Biden repealed this ban in 2021, describing it as “a stain on our national conscience.”
The new restrictions could significantly affect tens of thousands of Afghans who have been approved for resettlement in the U.S. as refugees or through Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs). These individuals are at risk of Taliban retribution for their assistance to U.S. forces during the two-decade conflict in Afghanistan.
On January 20, Trump issued an executive order mandating enhanced security vetting for foreigners seeking entry into the U.S. This order required cabinet members to submit a list of countries by March 12 from which travel should be partially or fully suspended due to inadequate vetting and screening processes. Sources indicate that Afghanistan is expected to be included in this list, along with Pakistan.
The departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security, along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, are overseeing this initiative but did not respond to requests for comment.
The Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts has been instructed to develop a closure plan by April, as reported last month.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, the group has faced an insurgency from the Islamic State’s regional affiliate, while Pakistan continues to deal with violent Islamist militants.
Trump’s directive is part of a broader immigration crackdown initiated at the start of his second term. In an October 2023 speech, he outlined plans to restrict entry from regions deemed security threats, including the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.
Shawn VanDiver, head of #AfghanEvac, a coalition focused on the evacuation and resettlement of Afghans, urged those with valid U.S. visas to travel as soon as possible. “While no official announcement has been made, multiple sources within the U.S. government suggest a new travel restriction could be implemented within the next week,” he stated, warning that this could significantly impact Afghan visa holders awaiting relocation.
Currently, around 200,000 Afghans have been approved for U.S. resettlement or have pending refugee and SIV applications. Many remain stranded in Afghanistan and nearly 90 other countries, including about 20,000 in Pakistan, since Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on refugee admissions and foreign aid that funds their flights.
