The administration of former President Donald Trump is reportedly exploring a significantly broader travel ban than the one enacted during his first term. According to officials familiar with the discussions, this expanded policy could affect citizens from up to 43 countries.
A preliminary list, compiled by diplomatic and security officials, includes an outright ban for 11 countries placed on a “red list.” If enacted, travelers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen would be entirely barred from entering the United States.
Draft List of Countries Facing Potential Entry Restrictions
Officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the deliberations, noted that the State Department prepared the draft weeks ago, and modifications are likely before it reaches the White House.
Diplomatic personnel, regional experts, and intelligence officials are currently reviewing the list to assess the accuracy of risk descriptions and consider any diplomatic consequences. In some cases, political factors—such as maintaining cooperation with foreign governments—could influence whether a country remains on the final version.
In addition to the outright bans, a second tier, referred to as the “orange list,” proposes restricting but not fully prohibiting travel from Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan. Business travelers with significant financial resources may still be allowed, but individuals seeking immigrant or tourist visas would face stringent limitations, including mandatory in-person interviews.
Implementation and Potential Impact
Shortly after taking office, Trump signed an executive order directing the State Department to identify nations where vetting and security measures were deemed inadequate, justifying a partial or total suspension of their citizens’ entry. The department was given 60 days to compile a report, which is due next week. The initiative has been led by the Office of Consular Affairs, with input from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, as well as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
While officials from multiple agencies declined to comment on the proposal, the State Department previously stated its commitment to enforcing Trump’s directives while maintaining high national security standards.
Recent reports indicated that Afghanistan, absent from Trump’s original travel bans but now under Taliban control, is a likely addition this time. However, the status of other nations remains uncertain, including whether current visa holders would be exempt or have their documentation revoked. The fate of green card holders also remains ambiguous.
Some of the countries included in the proposal appeared in Trump’s previous travel bans, yet others are new additions. The selection pattern largely mirrors earlier restrictions, targeting predominantly Muslim-majority or economically disadvantaged nations with unstable governments.
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A third tier, the “yellow list,” identifies 22 nations that would be given 60 days to address security concerns, with the risk of escalating to a more restrictive category if they fail to comply. Potential infractions include inadequate sharing of traveler data with U.S. authorities, weak passport security measures, or policies that allow foreign nationals from restricted countries to purchase citizenship.
The draft yellow list includes Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.
During Trump’s first term, early versions of his travel bans faced legal pushback, with courts initially blocking their enforcement. However, a revised version ultimately received approval from the U.S. Supreme Court, banning citizens from eight countries, six of which were Muslim-majority nations.
Upon assuming office in January 2021, President Joe Biden swiftly rescinded Trump’s travel bans, calling them a “stain on our national conscience” and inconsistent with the country’s long-standing tradition of welcoming people of all backgrounds.
Trump’s latest executive order argues that reinstating the bans is necessary to “protect American citizens from foreign nationals seeking to commit acts of terrorism, threaten national security, promote hateful ideologies, or exploit immigration laws for malicious purposes.”
