India, Sept. 16 -- The Trump administration has announced new travel restrictions on South African officials it accuses of being responsible for discrimination against white people and other minority groups, escalating tensions between Washington and Pretoria.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the United States would revoke visas or reject visa applications from foreign nationals found to be responsible for, or complicit in, laws and policies that permit uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination or the incitement of violence against minority ethnic and racial groups in South Africa.

"The United States will not allow such behavior to go unchecked," Rubio said in a statement, adding that such actions "direct...