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The Donald Trump administration announced on January 14 that it would indefinitely freeze visa processing for people coming from seventy-five countries, the latest effort to advance Trump’s immigration agenda. Countries on the list include Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Russia, and Somalia.
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This latest move follows the administration’s declaration in December that it would expand its June 2025 travel ban to include seven additional countries and add new restrictions to individuals traveling from fifteen others. In total, thirty-eight countries are affected by a full travel ban or partial restrictions. The administration cited national security concerns when instituting these policies, with the December expansion coming after an Afghan immigrant was charged with shooting two National Guard members in Washington, DC.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the new visa pause is aimed at people who are likely to be a “public charge,” a term for someone who is reliant on public benefits for basic needs. The criteria to weed out applicants include health, age, English proficiency, and finances. The policy does not affect tourist or business visas.
Pigott said the move would bring “an end to the abuse” of the U.S. immigration system. The new policy will reportedly begin January 21 and remain in place until the State Department reviews its visa processing procedures. The visa pause comes shortly after Trump threatened military action on Iran for crackdowns on protesters, and he derided the Somali immigrant community, which had drawn scrutiny for a Minnesota funding scandal that involved Somali nationals and Somali-Americans. Iran and Somalia are reportedly affected by the visa processing pause.
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The travel ban and visa halt appear to be part of Trump’s larger immigration strategy that has included a crackdown on many immigrant groups. In December, the Department of Homeland Security said it was “shattering records” with more than 605,000 deportations since Trump has taken office, and another 1.9 million others leaving the country.
Rights groups, and both the UN refugee agency and human rights offices, have condemned the deportations as well as the travel bans and restrictions, which have affected green card applications, visa petitioning, and citizenship oath ceremonies. They have argued that foreign nationals have a right to due process and the asylum process under U.S. and international law.
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Trump claimed in June some of the countries affected by his travel ban had “deficient” vetting processes that could lead to national security threats and travelers overstaying their visas. He also singled out countries that refused to accept U.S. deportees. Many countries affected by the visa pause and travel ban have tense relationships with the United States, and several are facing their own internal turmoil, whether civil war or repressive rule.
December 2025 travel ban expansion: countries and populations affected
Burkina Faso
Prior to the ban, the State Department had already placed a Level 4 travel advisory on Burkina Faso, citing the rate of “terrorism, crime, and kidnapping” in the country. Burkina Faso’s relationship with the United States deteriorated after two military coups in 2022 which led to a weakened government and an uptick in violence and terrorism. The White House also argues that the country has “historically refused to accept back its removable nationals” and references its visa overstay rate.
The United States granted 3,868 visas to travelers from Burkina Faso between May 2024 and April 2025.
Laos
Laos was originally on the partial travel ban list, but updated to the full ban in December. The White House noted Laos’s high rate of immigrant overstays and its failure to take back its deported nationals in its rationale for adding the country to its travel ban list. Since the normalization of relations between the United States and Laos in 1992, the two countries have enjoyed a relatively stable relationship. Though the country has seen increased civil unrest due to economic challenges, the ban contrasts with decades of engagement that has been focused on reconciliation and humanitarian cooperation.
The United States granted 2,557 visas to travelers from Laos between May 2024 and April 2025.
Mali
The U.S. government cites crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, and health as reasons to restrict entry. It also reported armed conflict between the Malian government and armed groups. Mali has undergone multiple coups since 2012; the nominal government is led by a military junta and insurgent groups control large regions of Mali. In late October 2025, the U.S. embassy warned U.S. citizens to leave Mali because of a fuel blockade enforced by militants.
The United States granted 3,691 visas to travelers from Mali between May 2024 and April 2025.
Niger
The 2023 military coup and resulting junta rule led to a breakdown between Niger and its Western partners. Niger was once a close security partner in Africa until the military uprising. The White House said it felt compelled to pursue the travel ban decision with Niger facing increased instability and extremist violence, as well as its alignment with Burkina Faso and Mali.
The United States granted 1,377 visas to travelers from Niger between May 2024 and April 2025.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is another country that the White House heightened to the full ban list from the partial list, noting it has a high rate of immigrant overstays. The administration also says that Freetown has been unwilling to take back its deported nationals. While Sierra Leone has not been a major strategic or military partner, it has generally been viewed in Washington as a cooperative state with a pro-Western orientation. The U.S. State Department has noted some instances of localized violent crime and occasions of civil unrest, but security issues have not historically been a major issue.
The United States granted 3,731 visas to travelers from Sierra Leone between May 2024 and April 2025.
South Sudan
Clashes between ethnic and political groups continue in South Sudan, which never fully recovered from its civil war. The U.S. government travel advisory cites unrest, crime, kidnapping, landmines, and health threats in the country. In early 2025, the United States revoked all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and stopped issuing new ones after the South Sudanese government failed to cooperate in accepting deportees from the United States.
The United States granted 696 visas to travelers from South Sudan between May 2024 and April 2025.
Syria
The Trump administration has started the process of giving the new Syrian government better standing on the global stage, but this decision reflects U.S. concerns that Syria still lacks proper vetting and documentation processes. Despite the country’s progress since the Bashar al-Assad regime was toppled in December 2024, the White House notes that Syria faces a fragmented security environment that remains dangerous. Two U.S. soldiers were killed near Palmyra, Syria, on December 13, and the central government only controls a portion of the country.
The United States granted 7,889 visas to travelers from Syria between May 2024 and April 2025.
Palestinian Authority Travel Documents
The White House’s decision to restrict entry for individuals carrying travel documents issued by the PA reflects the insecurity caused by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The administration cites the war and the presence of U.S-designated terrorist groups operating in the West Bank or Gaza Strip in its rationale. Given these security concerns and its claim that the war has undermined vetting processes, the White House says “PA-issued or endorsed travel documents cannot currently be properly vetted and approved for entry into the United States.”
The United States granted 12,512 visas to travelers carrying Palestinian Authority Travel Documents between May 2024 and April 2025.
June 2025 travel ban: The nineteen countries affected
Afghanistan
Afghanistan has experienced severe human rights crackdowns since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the group’s oppressive rule. Human rights watchdogs have documented arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, media censorship, and torture. The United States does not recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s official government.
The United States granted 37,164 visas to travelers from Afghanistan between May 2024 and April 2025.
Chad
Bilateral relations between Chad and the United States have frayed since the country and other Sahel states rejected Western troops and partnerships in the region. Chad also has one of the highest rates of visa overstays on the list, at nearly 50 percent. Chad’s leader has continued a three-decade-long family authoritarian dynasty, while violence and climate change-related issues have exacerbated hunger and displacement in the country.
The United States granted 15,206 visas to travelers from Chad between May 2024 and April 2025.
Republic of Congo
Congo has been accused by the United States of high visa overstays, though other countries absent from the list have higher overstay rates. Meanwhile, Trump has called out “the Congo”—which is commonly used to refer to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the world’s poorest, most conflict-affected nations—for allegedly releasing prisoners to the United States.
The United States granted 2,163 visas to travelers from Congo between May 2024 and April 2025.
Equatorial Guinea
Trump’s proclamation targets the Central African country of Equatorial Guinea for its high rates of visa overstays, though this rate is also lower than other countries not included in the ban. The country is grappling with a string of human rights concerns and is ranked one of the least-free countries in the world, according to watchdog Freedom House.
The United States granted 754 visas to travelers from Equatorial Guinea between May 2024 and April 2025.
Eritrea
The East African country is accused of failing to make criminal records of its nationals available, refusing to accept U.S. deportees, and having high visa overstay rates. Eritrea has been a one-party state under highly repressive, unelected rule since its independence in 1993. In 2023, the United States accused Eritrea of committing war crimes during the deadly conflict in northern Ethiopia.
The United States granted 2,723 visas to travelers from Eritrea between May 2024 and April 2025.
Myanmar
Myanmar—referred to as Burma in Trump’s proclamation and by the U.S. State Department—has been ruled by a military junta since a violent and ongoing civil war broke out four years ago. More than 75,000 people have been killed and 3 million more have been displaced by the conflict. The country plunged deeper into crisis when a devastating earthquake in March resulted in thousands of civilian fatalities.
The United States granted 15,206 visas to travelers from Myanmar between May 2024 and April 2025.
Haiti
Gang violence has had an iron grip on Haiti for several years, with more than 80 percent of the country’s capital controlled by gangs and more than a million Haitians internally displaced. The United Nations has backed a multinational security mission to the small Caribbean island, but so far, the violence has been difficult to contain. Climate change and natural disasters have further weakened the country’s stability. In February, Trump announced that he would be ending temporary protected status of 500,000 Haitians living in the United States by August.
The United States granted 13,051 visas to travelers from Haiti between May 2024 and April 2025.
Iran
Iran is one of the United States’ staunch geopolitical adversaries, and Trump’s proclamation declares the country a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran’s addition to the list comes as the United States is enmeshed in a tense diplomatic back-and-forth over Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities. The country is not considered a safe place for many civilians, with the United Nations recording a surge in the use of the death penalty in recent years and concerns over rights to free expression and basic needs.
The United States granted 23,154 visas to travelers from Iran between May 2024 and April 2025.
Libya
Libya is on the list for its “historic terrorist presence,” which poses a national security threat to U.S. nationals, according to the White House. Washington also accused Libya of failing to properly issue passports and civil documents to its citizens. The United Nations has accused the country’s government of committing crimes against humanity. Libya’s history of authoritarian rule and civil conflict have also prompted a mass migration challenge.
The United States granted 4,030 visas to travelers from Libya between May 2024 and April 2025.
Somalia
The White House described Somalia as a “terrorist safe haven” led by a dysfunctional government that “lacks command and control of its territory.” The al-Shabaab insurgency group has unleashed havoc on the country, with fatalities in 2024 doubling that of 2020 despite government attempts to counter the attacks. The country also faces severe food insecurity, with hunger levels that watchdogs consider “alarming.”
Trump brought additional attention to Somali populations in the United States after the November National Guard shooting, despite admitting there was no connection. The president has claimed that citizens from the country are “completely taking over” Minnesota, where a large number of Somali refugees have settled, and he has threatened to end temporary protected status for the population.
The United States granted 3,196 visas to travelers from Somalia between May 2024 and April 2025.
Sudan
Submerged in one of the bloodiest wars in the world, Sudan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with over 30 million people (more than two-thirds of the population) in need of aid. Millions of Sudanese have been displaced into neighboring countries. The United States has attempted to broker a ceasefire numerous times since the war’s 2023 onset, with no success.
The United States granted 8,427 visas to travelers from Sudan between May 2024 and April 2025.
Yemen
Trump’s proclamation notes that Yemen has been the site of “active United States military operations,” after Washington carried out persistent strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels this year. The Houthis control large swaths of northern and western Yemen and have repeatedly targeted shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, the country is tangled up in its own complex, decade-plus-long civil war, leaving more than 21 million people in need of aid.
The United States granted 14,677 visas to travelers from Yemen between May 2024 and April 2025.
Austin Steinhart made the graphics for this article.
