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The United States has announced it is restricting visas for individuals from Western Hemisphere countries who support American adversaries in undermining US interests in the region, the State Department said.
In a statement on Thursday, the department said the expanded policy targets nationals of regional countries who intentionally direct, authorise, fund or provide significant support to activities that are adversarial to the United States.
“President Trump’s National Security Strategy makes clear: this Administration will deny adversarial powers the ability to own or control vital assets or threaten the security and prosperity of the United States in our region,” the State Department said in the statement.
The department added: “The Department of State is working to advance American leadership in our hemisphere, protect our homeland, and ensure access to vital routes and areas throughout our region.”
The State Department is restricting U.S. visas for individuals from countries in our hemisphere who support our adversaries in undermining America’s interests in our region. Under the newly expanded policy, we have already taken action against 26 individuals in several countries.…
— Department of State (@StateDept) April 16, 2026
Activities targeted
The State Department outlined four categories of activities subject to the expanded restrictions.
“Activities include but are not limited to: enabling adversarial powers to acquire or control key assets and strategic resources in our hemisphere; destabilising regional security efforts; undermining American economic interests; and conducting influence operations designed to undermine the sovereignty and stability of nations in our region,” the statement read.
The department said the expanded policy enables it to target “those working on behalf of U.S. adversaries to undermine our national interests in our hemisphere, including regional security and democratic sovereignty.”
“This expanded policy enables us to restrict U.S. visas for nationals of countries in our region who, while within Western Hemisphere countries and while intentionally acting on behalf of adversarial countries, their agents, or enterprises, knowingly direct, authorise, fund, or provide significant support to, or carry out activities that are adversarial to and undermine America’s interests in our hemisphere.
“These individuals – and their immediate family members – will be generally ineligible for entry into the United States.”
26 individuals sanctioned
The State Department announced that it has already taken steps to impose visa restrictions on specific individuals.
“To demonstrate our commitment to this expanded policy, we have taken steps to impose visa restrictions on 26 individuals across our hemisphere who have engaged in these activities,” the department said.
It did not disclose the names, nationalities, or specific alleged actions of those sanctioned.
Commitment to national security
The department framed the move as part of broader efforts to protect American interests in the region.
“The Trump Administration will use every available tool to protect our national security interests, defend American interests, and promote our region’s safety and prosperity,” the statement said.
The department noted that the actions are being taken pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which addresses the inadmissibility of foreign nationals whose entry would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.
The State Department did not identify which countries it considers adversarial powers under the expanded policy.
