Just a little cloud hanging over Opening Day, that’s all.
President Trump’s expected travel ban on more than three dozen countries could prevent some Astros and other Major League Baseball players from Cuba and Venezuela from coming into — or leaving — the United States.
The big picture: Trump’s travel ban would mean that Cuban and Venezuelan major and minor league baseball players with P-1 visas — non-immigrant visas for internationally recognized athletes and entertainers — could face new difficulties in the U.S., immigration lawyers say.
- Without a special exemption, those players would have a hard time returning to the U.S. after games against the Toronto Blue Jays or after playing in winter baseball leagues in Mexico, Venezuela or the Dominican Republic.
Catch up quick: Trump signed an executive order in January requiring the State Department to identify countries “for which vetting and screening information is so deficient” that a travel ban is needed.
- The order gave the State Department 60 days to complete the report, which was due Friday.
- Countries that could be subject to the harshest visa restrictions include Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba, Sudan, Syria and Venezuela, news reports said.
The latest: A White House official tells Axios no decisions have been made, and an MLB spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Zoom in: On Opening Day last year, the Astros had 16 players born internationally — including Cuban- and Venezuelan-born stars — the most in the league, according to MLB.
- Across the league, 18 players from Cuba and 58 from Venezuela were on Opening Day rosters in 2024.
- The league’s total doesn’t count the many players in the minor leagues and those who were called up or signed later in the 2024 season.
It’s unclear which players hold P-1 visas, but the Astros’ 2025 roster includes second baseman José Altuve of Venezuela and outfielder Yordan Alvarez of Cuba.
Opening Day (non-Japan version) is today, so enjoy it while you can. I’m sure MLB is doing what it can to avoid problems, and there’s nothing more that Donald Trump likes than being sucked up to, but who knows what could happen. A potentially bigger issue is with the minor leagues, which are stuffed with even more foreign-born players who for the most part don’t have the financial resources to deal with lawyers and paperwork as might be required to ensure safe passage. Like I said, I don’t know what happens next. But it’s Donald Trump, so expect the worst.