The Trump administration is reportedly considering imposing a new travel ban that could affect citizens from up to 43 countries, expanding beyond the restrictions from his first term, according to sources familiar with the matter.
A draft list prepared by diplomatic and security officials outlines a “red” list of 11 countries whose citizens would be completely banned from entering the United States. These countries are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, according to officials. However, these sources, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, warned that this list was compiled weeks ago by the State Department and could change by the time it reaches the White House, reports The New York Times.
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Embassy officials, regional bureaus at the State Department, and security specialists from other agencies and intelligence services have been reviewing the draft. They are providing feedback on whether the descriptions of deficiencies in the listed countries are accurate or if there are any policy considerations that might justify reconsidering certain countries’ inclusion, it said.
Additionally, the draft proposal includes an “orange” list of 10 countries where travel would be restricted but not fully prohibited. Affluent business travelers might still be allowed entry, but those on immigrant or tourist visas would face restrictions. Citizens from these countries would also need to attend mandatory in-person visa interviews. This list includes Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan.
Upon taking office on January 20, Trump signed an executive order instructing the State Department to identify countries with insufficient vetting and screening information, potentially leading to partial or full suspension of their nationals’ entry into the United States. The State Department had 60 days to present a report, which is expected next week, with assistance from the Justice and Homeland Security Departments, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the report said.
While several agencies declined to comment, the State Department has previously affirmed its commitment to protecting the nation and its citizens by upholding high standards of national security and public safety through the visa process, although it declined to discuss internal deliberations in detail.
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Reports earlier this month indicated that Afghanistan, which fell to the Taliban after the U.S. withdrew in 2021, was likely to be added to the new travel ban list, although the inclusion of other countries remained unclear.
It remains uncertain whether people with existing visas would be exempt from the ban, or if their visas would be revoked. There is also ambiguity about whether green card holders, who have already been approved for permanent residency, would be exempt, added the report.
The Trump administration recently canceled the green card of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born former Columbia University graduate student, due to his involvement in campus protests against Israel’s Gaza actions, citing antisemitic views and sparking a legal challenge.
Some of the countries on the draft red and orange lists were included in Trump’s previous travel bans, but others are new. Many of them are Muslim-majority or predominantly nonwhite, poorer, and have governments considered corrupt or weak, the report also said.
However, the reasons for some countries’ inclusion are unclear. For example, Bhutan, a small Buddhist and Hindu nation between China and India, is proposed for an outright ban, though neither China nor India are listed.
The proposal to restrict visitors from Russia is also notable, as Trump had previously aimed to shift U.S. foreign policy towards a more Russia-friendly stance.
Including Venezuela could complicate improving relations, which have aided Trump’s efforts to deport undocumented migrants.
The draft also includes a “yellow” list of 22 countries, which would be given 60 days to address deficiencies, with the possibility of being moved to one of the other lists if they fail to comply.
This list includes Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.
During Trump’s first term, courts blocked the enforcement of the initial versions of the travel ban, but the Supreme Court ultimately allowed a revised version, banning citizens from eight countries, six of which were predominantly Muslim.
Upon becoming president in January 2021, Joe Biden revoked Trump’s travel bans, calling them a “stain on our national conscience” and inconsistent with the U.S.’s tradition of welcoming people of all faiths.
Trump’s executive order from January indicated that the bans would be revived to protect American citizens “from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.”