The Trump administration is moving to exclude undocumented immigrants from the US banking system as part of a strategy to encourage self-deportation, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller confirmed on Friday. The policy, outlined in a 19 May executive order, directs federal regulators to increase scrutiny of accounts and credit applications held by individuals without legal status or work authorisation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other agencies have since issued guidance instructing financial institutions to consider immigration status when assessing creditworthiness, effectively making it harder for illegal immigrants to hold bank accounts, credit cards or receive direct deposit payments.

The financial squeeze is the latest in a series of measures tightening the US immigration system. The State Department is studying a proposal to require some green card applicants applying from abroad to post a bond of up to $100,000, refundable only upon naturalisation, to demonstrate economic self-sufficiency. Separately, the restored public charge rule, taking effect on 18 September, will allow immigration officers to weigh an applicant’s use of food assistance, Medicaid or housing subsidies when deciding residency cases. The administration argues these steps ensure that immigrants do not become reliant on public resources.

This domestic crackdown coincides with a wave of stricter passport validity enforcement by governments worldwide. Authorities in the United Kingdom now require US citizens to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation before boarding flights, a £10 permit valid for two years, in addition to a valid passport. Spain and the wider Schengen area mandate that non-EU visitors hold passports issued within the last 10 years and with at least three months’ validity beyond the intended departure date. China, Australia, Brazil, and several Latin American nations have similarly reiterated that expired or damaged passports will result in denied boarding or entry, with airlines facing fines for carrying improperly documented passengers.

Within this landscape, some regional agreements offer limited flexibility. Citizens of Mercosur countries can still enter Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina using only a national identity card for tourism. Mexico permits its nationals to re-enter the country with an expired passport, though they cannot depart again without renewing it. Meanwhile, Bangladesh is bucking the restrictive trend by launching a ‘Probashi Card’ for its diaspora, offering airport lounge access, discounted travel and priority consular services, with an initial rollout of 50,000 debit cards by December.

The cumulative effect of these measures is a more fragmented and demanding international travel environment. The US debanking policy is already being implemented through regulatory guidance, while the green card bond proposal remains under review. The UK ETA requirement is now in force, and the EU’s planned ETIAS authorisation system is expected by year’s end. Travellers and migrants are being urged by consular officials across multiple jurisdictions to verify document validity well in advance of any planned journey.