Trump administration reportedly considers strict travel ban which would target 43 countries

It is reported that the Trump administration is considering imposing strict travel and visa restrictions on 43 countries.

According to an internal memo obtained by Reuters, the U.S. government is considering creating a "red list" that would include a complete visa suspension for 11 countries, including North Korea, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Cuba. Simultaneously, another group of more than five countries, including Laos, Myanmar, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Haiti, would be subject to visa restrictions, limiting tourism, student, and immigration visas.

The New York Times reported that citizens of countries on the list would be required to attend mandatory in-person interviews to obtain a visa. For a third group of 26 countries, including Pakistan, Belarus, and Turkmenistan, the Trump administration would consider partial visa suspensions if those countries' governments "fail to make efforts to address their own deficiencies within 60 days."

Reuters reported that the list has not yet received formal government approval and is subject to change. The internal memo was issued after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a comprehensive executive order on immigration on January 26, which included "enhanced vetting" of visa applicants and border security.

Trump implemented strict travel bans during his first term, targeting several Muslim-majority countries. After a battle in the U.S. Supreme Court, his ban was upheld after debate, arguing that it amounted to an illegal ban on Muslims. Trump also pledged to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia from entering the United States before the U.S. election.

The Trump administration has not commented on the internal memo. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement on Friday that "obtaining a visa to live and study in the United States is a privilege." "That privilege should be revoked when you espouse violence and terrorism, and you shouldn't be in this country," Nielsen said.