The U.S. State Department will make permanent a visa bond program ‌that could require applicants from 50 countries, mostly from Africa, to post bonds of up to $20,000 when seeking U.S. visas, according to a federal noticeposted online on Friday.

The Federal Register notice applies ​to B1 and B2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism ​travel.

“Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post ⁠a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, as determined ​by the consular officers,” the notice said.

“The 2025 visa bond pilot, which provided a ​framework for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of administering a visa bond program, has provided sufficient ​data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for ​enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders.”

In the pilot program, consular officers could require bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or up ‌to $15,000. ⁠The final rule eliminates the $5,000 option and raises the maximum bond to $20,000.

The final rule goes into effect on August 3 when it is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register. In the list of 50 countries for whose citizens this program applies, ​30 are from ​Africa.

U.S. officials say the ⁠policy is intended to reduce visa overstays. Immigration advocates argue it will deter legitimate travel to the United States.

Rights advocates say ​President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown violates free speech and due ​process, while creating ⁠an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities and encouraging racial profiling. Trump has defended the measures as necessary to bolster national security.

While Trump says he wants to curb illegal immigration, his ⁠administration ​has made legal immigration more difficult, for example, ​by imposing new and expensive fees for applicants of certain visas and by enforcing social media vetting for applicants ​and immigrants already in the country.

Spain says it has brought under control a massive influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa, with thousands of those who crossed the border already returning voluntarily to Morocco.

According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, around 50,000 people crossed into Ceuta by land and sea since Thursday morning. Officials estimate that about half of them—roughly 25,000 people—have already gone back.

Moroccan security forces used batons and tear gas to prevent more people from crossing into the Spanish territory. Reuters reporters at the border saw riot police dispersing crowds, while water cannon vehicles were deployed following clashes that left several vehicles burned.

Ceuta’s regional leader, Juan Jesus Vivas, said as many as 60,000 migrants entered the enclave and reported that 34 people had died during the incident. Earlier, Spanish authorities said 19 bodies had been recovered from the water.

The mass crossing has triggered political tensions across Europe. Several European Union leaders called on Spain to contain the situation, while some right-wing parties blamed Spain’s migration policies, including a recent amnesty for hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants.

France announced tighter border checks with Spain, while Italy warned it could seek to suspend Spain from the EU’s passport-free Schengen area.

Spanish military vehicles were deployed along parts of the border as hundreds of migrants remained gathered on the Moroccan side. Many who returned said they were unable to find food or shelter after entering Ceuta.

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