The Trump administration announced on Friday that it will restrict immigration from six new countries, a controversial move that has already drawn criticism, reported U.S. media citing anonymous U.S. officials.

The United States will curb citizens from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Nigeria to apply for visas that can lead to permanent U.S. residency, reported U.S. media, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, which cited officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.

Two other countries, Sudan and Tanzania, will be restrained from attending the diversity visa lottery that randomly grants green cards to immigrants from underrepresented countries, according to report.

The newly banned countries were said to have failed to meet the U.S. security and information-sharing standards.

The new countries will be added to a list of seven nations, most of which are Muslim-majority, facing the Trump administration's travel ban issued in 2017.

Immigrant advocates attacked the latest restrictions, calling them an "African Ban."