A new executive order on travel restrictions, expected to be signed next week by U.S. President Donald Trump, may include citizens of Afghanistan and Pakistan, potentially barring their entry into the United States, Reuters reported, citing three informed sources.
According to the report, released early Thursday, tens of thousands of Afghan citizens could be affected by the proposed ban. The sources, who requested anonymity, said the decision stems from government assessments of security risks and deficiencies in the screening processes for travellers from these countries.
The sources indicated that Afghanistan is expected to be placed on the list of countries facing a full travel ban, while Pakistan is also under consideration. Other countries may also be included, though details remain unclear.
If implemented, the order would resemble Trump’s first-term travel ban, which targeted several Muslim-majority nations. That policy, initially introduced in 2017, was revised multiple times before being upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, reversed the ban in 2021.
Impact on Afghan SIV Holders and Refugees
The new restrictions could significantly impact Afghan citizens who had been approved for resettlement in the U.S. under refugee and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) programmes but have not yet entered the country. Many of these individuals remain at risk of Taliban retaliation due to their cooperation with the U.S. during its 20-year military presence in Afghanistan.
One Reuters source said that these individuals are undergoing extensive security screening to ensure they are fully vetted. The U.S. State Department office responsible for overseeing Afghan resettlements is reportedly working to exempt SIV holders from the ban, though a source cautioned that such an exemption is “unlikely to be granted.”
Trump’s Executive Order and Its Broader Implications
Trump issued an executive order on 20 January calling for heightened security vetting for all foreign nationals seeking to enter the U.S. The order mandates that several government agencies— including the State Department, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence— submit a list of countries facing potential travel restrictions by 12 March.
The departments involved have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The travel ban is part of a broader immigration strategy that Trump has pursued since returning to office. In an October 2023 speech, he pledged to restrict entry from Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and “anywhere else that threatens our security.”
Concerns Over Afghan Evacuations
Shawn VanDiver, president of a coalition involved in Afghan evacuations and resettlements in coordination with the U.S. government, has urged visa holders to travel to the U.S. as soon as possible.
AfghanEvac, an organisation advocating for Afghan refugees and military partners of the U.S., warned that the Trump administration is likely to reinstate a travel ban affecting Afghan nationals. On Wednesday, the organisation posted on X:
“If you have a valid U.S. visa in your passport/travel document, travel as soon as possible. We are hearing from within State that a travel ban is likely coming in the next week for Afghan nationals (and others).”
AfghanEvac stated that while details on the potential travel ban remain uncertain, the organisation will oppose any such directive if confirmed.
During his first term, Trump’s travel ban did not initially include Afghanistan, but in 2017, The New York Times reported that the U.S. Embassy in Kabul had refused to issue visas to Afghans who had worked with the U.S. government, instructing them to withdraw their applications.
AfghanEvac, founded in August 2021 during the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, works to resettle at-risk Afghans, particularly former U.S. military partners. The organisation, comprising a coalition of 250 groups, has helped relocate over 195,000 eligible Afghans to the U.S. since 2021.
If enacted, the proposed travel ban would represent a significant setback for Afghan evacuees still awaiting resettlement, further complicating efforts to protect those who assisted U.S. forces during the war in Afghanistan.
