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The Trump administration has begun cancelling visas retroactively as part of preparations to reinstate a controversial travel ban targeting people from several Muslim-majority countries, US sources told °®Âþµº's Arabic language edition, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

American embassies in multiple countries have notified some visa holders - including those already in the United States - that their visas have been revoked. These individuals have been instructed to report to their respective US embassies for further interviews.

The move is reportedly linked to Donald Trump's upcoming travel ban, which is expected to target citizens from several Muslim-majority countries as soon as next week.

The decision follows an executive order issued by Trump on 20 January titled "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security Threats".

The order outlines new security procedures for visa applicants and mandates a review of individuals who entered the United States during President Joe Biden’s administration.

Libyan students among those affected

Several Libyan students who recently obtained US study visas were notified via email that their visas had been cancelled. They were instructed to visit the US embassy in Tunisia - since the US does not have an embassy in Libya - for further interviews, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported, citing a human rights source.

The source added that the retroactive visa cancellations applied not only to those still outside the United States but also to Libyan students already in the country, effectively nullifying their residency status.

Libya has now been confirmed as one of the countries included in the upcoming travel ban.

Trump's executive order is seen as a renewed attempt to impose a travel ban similar to the one introduced during his first term, which initially targeted citizens from Libya, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia, as well as North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela.

The new order instructs US authorities to review individuals from these countries who entered the United States since Joe Biden's inauguration on 20 January 2021. If authorities find any security concerns or questionable activities, those individuals could face deportation.

The order also calls for a return to the strict vetting procedures previously enforced during Trump's first term, which Biden later revoked. Trump's policy notably blocked individuals from Muslim-majority countries under the pretext of security concerns.

The executive order specifically calls for the review of visa holders from countries with what Trump claims are "lax security screening processes".

It insists that the United States must ensure that "foreign nationals admitted to the US do not harbour hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles".

Impact on Afghan and Pakistani nationals

The new ban is expected to introduce three distinct categories:

1. The "Red List" — This is expected to include all countries previously subjected to the 2017 ban, plus Afghanistan and possibly Pakistan.
2. The "Orange List" — Citizens from these countries will face stricter visa application processes. Wealthier individuals may be granted visas for business purposes, but immigration and tourist visas will be heavily restricted.
3. The "Yellow List" — Countries on this list will be given 60 days to improve security measures and information-sharing protocols with the U.S. Failure to comply could result in partial or full travel restrictions.

Reports indicate that approximately 200,000 Afghan citizens who previously received US approval for refugee or Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) now face uncertainty. Many of these individuals worked alongside US forces during the war in Afghanistan.

In response, groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have urged Afghan visa holders currently outside the US to return immediately before the ban is enforced.

CAIR condemned the administration's move, warning that reintroducing a Muslim travel ban would unfairly target individuals who have already passed rigorous security screening procedures.

Trump previously pledged to expand the travel ban during his campaign, vowing to introduce ideological screening to prevent what he described as "haters, extremists, and lunatics" from entering the country.

Critics have widely condemned the move as discriminatory and a thinly veiled attempt to target Muslim-majority countries under the guise of national security.