Trump Administration Expands Travel Ban to Halt Immigrant Visas

The Trump administration has expanded its travel restrictions to stop nearly all immigration from seven countries. It has also added restrictions for people from 13 other nations. The policy suspends applications for U.S. immigrant visas. These include requests for permanent residency, commonly called green cards. The move directly affects citizens of the seven nations originally included in the president's January executive order: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Sudan. It also adds new, specific immigration restrictions for citizens of 13 other countries. These nations are Chad, North Korea, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Somalia, and Libya. The restrictions vary by country. The State Department says the new rules are necessary for national security. Officials state they need more reliable information from these governments to properly screen visa applicants. The policy does not affect non-immigrant visas, such as those for tourists, students, or business travelers, for most listed countries. Existing valid visas will also not be revoked.