The U.S. will restrict visas for family members and associates of people linked to drug trafficking.

The United States government announced a new visa restriction policy targeting not only sanctioned drug traffickers, but also their family members and close personal and business associates.

The measure was announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as part of a broader effort to curb the trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs that seriously affect public health in the country.

“I am announcing a new visa restriction policy for family members and close personal and business associates of individuals sanctioned under Executive Order 14059. We will use every tool necessary to deter and disrupt the flow of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into our country,” Rubio posted on his X account.

This action falls under Executive Order 14059, signed in December 2021 by then- President Joe Biden . This order allows for the imposition of sanctions on foreign nationals involved in drug trafficking and seeks to strengthen the legal framework to more effectively combat international drug trafficking. In particular, it focuses on fentanyl , a substance that has caused an unprecedented health crisis in the United States.

As detailed, the visa restrictions will be applied under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act , which allows for the declaration of inadmissibility of foreigners if there are substantial grounds to believe they have been involved in illicit activities such as drug trafficking.

This measure also aims to limit international mobility and access to financial resources for criminal networks. In the context of a crisis that led to an average of more than 220 overdose deaths per day in 2024 , primarily from fentanyl, the U.S. government is intensifying its penalties.

Since Executive Order 14059 went into effect, more than 300 individuals and entities have been sanctioned, including Mexican cartels such as the Sinaloa and CJNG cartels, and precursor chemical suppliers in China.