The U.S. State Department on Thursday announced a new visa restriction policy aimed at family members and close associates—both personal and professional—of individuals sanctioned for their role in global drug trafficking operations.
“This action will not only block their entry into the United States but also act as a strong deterrent against continuing illegal activity,” said Thomas Pigott, the State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson, during a press briefing.
Pigott emphasized that the department will keep using every available tool to disrupt the flow of fentanyl and other lethal narcotics into the country.
Combatting drug trafficking has been a central pillar of President Donald Trump’s immigration and border security agenda. Throughout his campaign and since returning to office, Trump has linked the drug crisis to illegal immigration and has promised aggressive enforcement actions and mass deportations.
In one of his first acts after retaking the White House, Trump issued an executive order on February 1 targeting fentanyl precursor chemicals traced back to China and flowing into the U.S. through Mexico. To pressure Beijing, he imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports—later doubling it to 20% in March. While Trump has rolled back many tariffs from his earlier term, the fentanyl-related measures remain firmly in place.
Last month, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he had offered to send U.S. troops into Mexico to confront drug cartels directly.
“They are ruthless killers who profit from poisoning Americans,” Trump said. “We lost 300,000 lives last year to fentanyl and other drugs. If Mexico wanted help dealing with the cartels, we’d be honored to assist.”
The CDC reported 80,391 drug overdose deaths in the past year—a 27% drop from 2023. Of those, 48,422 were linked to fentanyl.
The visa restrictions, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, apply to individuals connected to people already sanctioned under Executive Order 14059. That order, signed by President Joe Biden in December 2021, authorizes sanctions on foreign individuals involved in the global drug trade.
“The State Department will continue to deploy all necessary tools to block the entry of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the United States,” Rubio said in a statement. “We are committed to protecting the American people from this deadly crisis.”
