Trump is targeting immigrants from places hardest hit by climate shocks

Trump Administration Enacts Entry Restrictions on Dozens of Countries Citing National Security and Vetting Concerns

The Trump administration has implemented full or partial entry restrictions on 39 countries through presidential proclamations issued in 2025 and 2026. Officials have stated that the measures address deficiencies in information sharing, terrorism risks, and compliance with U.S. immigration screening requirements.

Administration statements have emphasized that the restrictions target nations where governments have failed to provide adequate data for vetting or where specific security incidents have raised concerns. One cited example involved an Afghan national who entered the United States and later faced charges related to an attack on National Guard personnel, referenced in coverage of Proclamations 10949 and 10998. Similar rationales have appeared in prior travel restriction announcements focused on countries with documented gaps in passport controls or criminal record reporting.

A separate analysis by The Guardian examined the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative index, which ranks countries by exposure and vulnerability to environmental changes. Of the 39 restricted countries, 22 fall in the top quartile of that index. Chad and Niger, ranked as the two most vulnerable on the index, received full entry bars. Sudan, Somalia, and Sierra Leone, also among the ten highest-ranked on the index, were likewise fully restricted. Honduras, ranked in the most vulnerable half, has been subject to partial measures.

The administration has described these policies as necessary to prevent entry by individuals from regions with elevated risks of terrorism or inadequate identity verification. The State Department has not issued a direct response linking the restrictions to environmental factors.

Temporary Protected Status Terminations and Court Review

The administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status for nationals of 13 countries, including Honduras. TPS provides renewable one- or two-year periods of stay when conditions in a home country, such as armed conflict or natural disasters, are deemed to prevent safe return. Nearly half of the affected countries rank in the upper half of the Notre Dame index.

The Supreme Court is reviewing challenges to TPS terminations for Syria and Haiti. Syria received TPS designation in 2024 partly on the basis of drought conditions affecting agriculture. Haiti’s designation has referenced hurricane damage and related instability. Lower courts have issued conflicting rulings on whether the terminations followed proper administrative procedures. A decision is expected by late June or early July.

Geoffrey Pipoly, an attorney representing Haitian TPS holders, has noted that many clients entered or remained in the United States following hurricanes in 2016 and subsequent years. The administration has argued that ongoing TPS extensions exceed statutory authority and that conditions in several countries no longer justify blanket relief.

Climate Data and Migration Patterns

The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative index measures factors including exposure to extreme weather, sensitivity of infrastructure and agriculture, and adaptive capacity. Danielle Wood, an associate professor at Notre Dame, stated that nearly all countries in the highest vulnerability category appear on the current restriction list. The index itself does not assess terrorism or vetting cooperation.

United Nations data indicate that disasters displaced approximately 250 million people internally or across borders over the past decade. In 2025, roughly 30 million additional internal displacements occurred, with wildfires listed as the leading cause in some regions. Most movement remains within national borders. No U.S. statute or the 1951 Refugee Convention currently lists environmental conditions as an independent ground for asylum.

Jocelyn Perry of Refugees International has observed that crop failures or infrastructure damage can contribute to secondary pressures such as urban migration or resource competition. Administration officials have maintained that asylum claims must meet the statutory criteria of persecution on protected grounds and that environmental factors alone do not qualify.

Policy Implementation and Related Actions

The administration has curtailed most refugee admissions except for a limited program involving white South Africans. It has also reduced funding for certain overseas assistance programs previously administered through USAID. Forecasts from some public health organizations project increased child mortality in parts of sub-Saharan Africa if those cuts remain in place, though the administration has attributed the reductions to waste elimination and redirection of resources.

Evelyn, a New York resident originally from Honduras, described arriving after Hurricane Mitch in 1998. She noted that family members already in the United States facilitated her entry at the time. She has stated that current restrictions create additional procedural barriers for relatives seeking similar relief. Her daughters are enrolled in U.S. universities.

A physician from Sudan who entered under TPS described drought-related pressures on agriculture and subsequent conflict over resources. Sudan’s TPS designation remains active only until October. The physician has an outstanding work-permit application and has expressed uncertainty about returning.

Legislative Efforts

Democratic lawmakers introduced the Climate Displaced Persons Act in 2021 and 2023. The bills would have amended the Immigration and Nationality Act to create a new category for individuals displaced by environmental disasters. Neither measure advanced. Senator Ed Markey, a sponsor, has linked the proposals to broader foreign-aid and climate policies. The administration has opposed expanding statutory definitions of refugee status beyond existing persecution criteria.

The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act requires a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Environmental degradation is not enumerated.

Current Status

Entry restrictions remain in effect for the listed countries pending further litigation or policy changes. TPS litigation continues in federal courts. No legislation altering the refugee definition to include environmental factors has passed Congress. The administration continues to cite national security and administrative vetting capacity as the primary bases for its immigration actions.