President Donald Trump has suspended entry into the United States for Venezuelans with tourist, business, student, and cultural exchange visas, in addition to suspending or restricting entry for citizens of 11 other countries.
The B-1 visa is for business, B-2 is for tourism, B-1/B-2 visa combines the two, and the F, M, and J visas are granted to students.
Trump added that Venezuela “lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents, and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.”
The White House said that the country has historically refused to accept its deported citizens, and that B-1/B-2 visas granted to its citizens have an overstay rate of 9.8 percent according to the Overstay Report.
The executive order excluded legal permanent residents of the United States, dual nationals, and passport holders from a nonrestricted country from the applicable measures.
Athletes or members of sports teams, including their coaches, participating in major sporting events, as determined by the U.S. secretary of state, will also be exempt.
The ban takes effect on June 9.
The order also provides that within 90 days, and every 180 days thereafter, the secretary of state must submit a report to the president with his assessment and recommendations on whether the measure should continue or be terminated, modified, or supplemented.
This follows the Trump administration’s decision to cancel temporary protected status (TPS) for Venezuelans announced earlier this year.
TPS is an immigration status granted to foreign nationals residing in the United States who come from countries with conditions that temporarily prevent their safe return to their home countries. In other words, TPS beneficiaries could remain in the United States without being detained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) due to their immigration status.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced on Feb. 1, 2025, that she was ending the 2023 TPS designation for Venezuelans under the Biden administration—the measure was set to expire on April 7. The Supreme Court’s May 19 ruling upheld Noem’s decision after a California federal judge issued a court order on March 31 to reverse the decision.
A ruling on the government’s appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is now pending.
The initial 2021 TPS designation for approximately 250,000 Venezuelans remains in effect until Sept. 10, 2025.
Yeny Sora Robles contributed to this report.
