The Trump administration is reportedly contemplating a new travel ban that could affect citizens from up to 43 countries, expanding beyond the restrictions enforced during his first term, as indicated by knowledgeable officials.
A preliminary list of recommendations crafted by diplomatic and security officials features a “red” list of 11 countries, whose nationals would be explicitly prohibited from entering the U.S. This list includes Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, according to the officials.
Officials, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, noted that the list was generated by the State Department a few weeks ago and that revisions are expected before it is presented to the White House.
Embassy personnel and regional bureaus within the State Department, alongside security experts from various departments and intelligence agencies, have been reviewing the draft. They are providing feedback on the accuracy of the deficiencies described for specific countries and assessing whether there are policy considerations—such as not jeopardizing collaboration on other priorities—that might warrant reconsidering certain inclusions.
The draft also features an “orange” list, comprising 10 countries subject to travel restrictions rather than outright bans. In these instances, affluent business visitors may be permitted entry, while those traveling on immigrant or tourist visas would be denied.
Travelers from these countries would also be required to undergo mandatory interviews to obtain a visa. This list includes Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan.
Upon assuming office on January 20, Mr. Trump issued an executive order mandating the State Department to identify countries “for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries.”
The department was given 60 days to compile a report for the White House, which is due next week. The Bureau of Consular Affairs has taken the lead on this, with the order specifying that the Justice and Homeland Security Departments and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence should assist the effort.
Representatives from several agencies did not respond to requests for comments. However, the State Department previously asserted its commitment to following Mr. Trump’s order, stating it is “dedicated to safeguarding our nation and its citizens by adhering to the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa procedures,” while refraining from delving into specific internal discussions.
Recent reports from The Times and other news organizations indicated that Afghanistan, which was omitted from Mr. Trump’s first-term travel bans but fell to the Taliban following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, is anticipated to be included in the second-term ban. The status of the other countries under consideration remains unclear.
It is also uncertain whether individuals holding existing visas would be exempt from this ban or if their visas would be revoked entirely. Additionally, it is not clearly defined if the administration plans to grant exemptions to current green card holders, who have already been approved for permanent residency.
Recently, the Trump administration announced it had rescinded the green card of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born former Columbia University graduate student of Palestinian descent, citing his leadership in high-profile campus protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which the government described as antisemitic, prompting a legal battle over the legality of this decision.
Some nations included in the draft red and orange lists were previously sanctioned by Mr. Trump in his earlier travel bans, while many are newly added. A common characteristic among them is that they are generally Muslim-majority or otherwise nonwhite, impoverished, and have governments perceived as weak or corrupt.
The rationale behind including several other countries remains ambiguous. For instance, Bhutan has been proposed for a complete ban, notably despite being a small Buddhist and Hindu nation nestled between China and India, neither of which appears on any of the draft lists.
Proposing a strict restriction, if not a total ban, on visitors from Russia presents a different challenge. While the Russian government is often criticized for corruption, Mr. Trump has made efforts to shift U.S. foreign policy towards a more Russia-friendly stance.
Additionally, including Venezuela could hinder a budding thaw in relations that has proven beneficial to Mr. Trump’s broader initiatives aimed at the deportation of undocumented immigrants.
The proposal also encompasses a draft “yellow” list, comprising 22 nations that will be allotted 60 days to address identified shortcomings, with the warning of being moved to one of the other lists should they fail to comply.
Potential issues may involve a country’s failure to share necessary information about incoming travelers with the United States, insufficient passport issuance security protocols, or the sale of citizenship to individuals from the banned regions, which could create workarounds to the established restrictions.
The list, according to officials, 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 Mr. Trump’s first term, the courts prevented the administration from enforcing the initial two versions of his travel ban, yet the Supreme Court later allowed a revised ban—restricting citizens from eight nations, six being predominantly Muslim—to be implemented. The list subsequently evolved.
Shortly after entering office in January 2021, Joseph R. Biden Jr. issued a proclamation that revoked Mr. Trump’s travel bans, labeling them “a stain on our national conscience” and “inconsistent with our long-standing tradition of welcoming individuals of all faiths and no faiths.”
Mr. Trump’s executive order in January indicated that he would reinstate the bans to safeguard American citizens “from aliens who intend to commit terrorist acts, threaten our national security, promote hateful ideologies, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent ends.”
Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Edward Wong contributed reporting from Washington.
