Nancy Mace bill would codify a Trump-era travel ban by restricting entry from 39 countries, per report

Republican Rep. Nancy Mace is pushing legislation that would permanently restrict entry for travelers from 39 countries spanning parts of the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa, according to Fox News. The measure is described as a way to codify, in law, a Trump-era travel ban that has been implemented through presidential authority rather than Congress.

Under the proposal as characterized in the report, the bill would bar travelers subject to the covered categories from entering the United States based on their country of origin, aligning the geography of the restrictions with the framework associated with the earlier executive action. Fox News frames the legislation as a mechanism to prevent the policy from being altered or rolled back without congressional involvement.

The practical difference between an executive travel restriction and a statutory ban is the legal and political pathway for change. An executive action can be modified by a subsequent president, while a statute generally requires Congress to amend or repeal the restrictions. In that sense, the report describes the Mace effort as turning an enforcement tool into a longer-term policy with a more durable legislative basis.

The bill also raises recurring constitutional and procedural questions that have surrounded U.S. entry restrictions tied to nationality and region. Travel-ban authority has previously been debated in courts, including issues such as the scope of presidential power, how any such restrictions are justified, and what due-process protections apply to travelers and applicants. Fox News does not provide a court ruling on the Mace measure in its report, leaving the bill’s legal trajectory contingent on future legislative and judicial developments.

Supporters of nationality-based entry restrictions have argued that the United States needs broad authority to manage security risks and enforce immigration policy efficiently, while opponents have said the approach can sweep too broadly and raise fairness concerns for individuals seeking to enter for work, family, or other lawful purposes. In the Fox News report, Mace is described as an outspoken advocate for making the travel restrictions permanent, while critics and other lawmakers are expected to challenge the bill through the legislative process and, potentially, the courts if it advances.

The report places the Mace proposal in the broader policy debate over how the federal government should set immigration and border rules, including whether those rules should be implemented through presidential directives or set through statutes with congressional oversight. If the bill proceeds, its next steps would include committee consideration, floor action, and, if enacted, agency implementation through the Department of Homeland Security and the broader border and screening apparatus.

As of the report date, Fox News presents the legislation as a bid to make the earlier travel ban permanent by converting it into law. Whether it can clear Congress and withstand any legal challenges will determine whether the restrictions remain in effect and how they are operationalized for travelers from the 39 countries listed in the report.