Report: Trump considering blocking citizens suspected of having COVID-19 from returning to U.S.

A woman arrives at O'Hare Airport in Chicago.
(Image credit: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)

The Trump administration is contemplating a measure that would temporarily block U.S. citizens and permanent residents from coming back to the United States if border officials believe they have COVID-19, a senior U.S. official told Reuters on Monday.

The official said a draft regulation would give the government the authority to prevent entry by citizens and permanent residents if border officials "reasonably" suspect they could have or were exposed to the coronavirus. This regulation, which would be issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has not been finalized, and its wording could still change, the official told Reuters.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.