President Donald Trump is moving forward with a new travel ban that would bar individuals from Afghanistan and Pakistan from entering the United States, according to a Reuters report. The measure is part of an executive order Trump signed in January that directed cabinet officials to identify countries with inadequate “vetting and screening information.”

The ban would expand the list of “red” countries already barred from U.S. entry. During his first term, Trump’s travel ban included Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. Now, Afghanistan is being added as part of a draft proposal, according to The New York Times, while Reuters reports that Pakistan is also being considered.

This move is part of Trump’s broader efforts to strengthen national security and tighten immigration policies. The administration is focused on mitigating threats posed by individuals entering the U.S., both legally and illegally.

The new restrictions could prevent thousands of Afghans from resettling in the U.S., many of whom had been approved for refugee status under the Biden administration following the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal. That withdrawal led to the Taliban’s return to power and the deaths of 13 U.S. service members in the Abbey Gate bombing. The Trump administration recently captured the alleged terrorist responsible for that attack.

Shawn VanDiver, head of #AfghanEvac, an activist group advocating for Afghan resettlement, told reporters, “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.”

With ongoing instability in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where Islamist militants remain active, Trump’s policy reflects his administration’s continued focus on national security. His executive order aims to ensure that only individuals from countries with reliable vetting processes are allowed into the United States.