Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is introducing legislation that would codify former President Donald Trump's travel ban, affecting individuals from 39 countries across the Caribbean, Middle East, and Africa. The proposed "Third World Immigration Moratorium Act" would also restrict entry for those traveling with Palestinian Authority-issued documents.
Mace stated her bill is a response to perceived exploitation of the U.S. immigration system, asserting that "entry into the United States is a privilege, not a right." The countries targeted by the legislation include Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Many of these nations are noted for instability and terrorism.
The proposal follows actions taken by the Trump administration to expand visa restrictions. In June 2025, the administration reinstated a ban on 12 countries. This was later expanded after an incident in November 2025 involving an Afghan national who fatally shot a member of the West Virginia National Guard and injured another service member in Washington, D.C. The administration cited national security and concerns over visa overstays as reasons for these measures.
Mace's bill includes exemptions for lawful permanent residents, dual nationals with passports from non-restricted countries, diplomats, NATO personnel, participants in major international competitions, and certain individuals who assisted U.S. forces or are fleeing persecution in Iran. The Secretary of Homeland Security would also have the authority to grant waivers for individuals deemed to be in the nation's "critical interest."
The legislation faces potential opposition from Democrats and some Republicans who support immigration from several of the countries on the proposed list. Mace, who is in her final months in the House after an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, is reportedly considering a run for Senate.