US expands visa restrictions in Western Hemisphere, targeting 26 individuals

The US State Department said Thursday it imposed visa restrictions on 26 individuals as it announced a “significant expansion” of a visa restriction policy targeting those working on behalf of adversaries in the Western Hemisphere.

In a statement, the agency said the move aims to protect US national security, economic interests and regional stability by denying entry to individuals who support activities that undermine American interests.

“Activities include but are not limited to: enabling adversarial powers to acquire or control key assets and strategic resources in our hemisphere; destabilizing regional security efforts; undermining American economic interests; and conducting influence operations designed to undermine the sovereignty and stability of nations in our region,” it said.

Those affected, along with their immediate family members, will generally be deemed ineligible to enter the US.

The statement did not specify which countries Washington considers adversaries or the identities of those targeted.

Following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, Trump administration officials publicly defended the move, saying it was to prevent the country from falling under the control of rivals such as China, Russia and Iran.

The latest move comes as the Trump administration seeks to reassert US dominance in the Western Hemisphere, aiming to curb the influence of external powers and strengthen American primacy in the hemisphere, according to a National Security Strategy document released in late 2025.