The Trump team wants to block people from 43 countries from coming to America. This plan would go beyond what Trump did during his first four years as president. Officials who know about these plans shared details on the condition they remain unnamed because the talks are private. The draft plan came from State Department staff several weeks back.
The harshest rules would stop all visitors from 11 nations on a "red" list. These countries include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. Officials stress that this plan might change before it reaches the White House. Experts from embassies and security agencies are reviewing the list immediately to check if the concerns about each country are correct.
A second group of 10 nations would face strict limits but not total bans. Rich business travelers might still enter the United States, but regular tourists or immigrants would struggle to visit. Everyone from these "orange" countries would need face-to-face interviews for visas. This group includes Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan.
Trump signed orders on January 20 telling the State Department to find countries with poor security screening. He gave them 60 days to finish a report listing these places, which is due next week. The Bureau of Consular Affairs leads this work with help from the Justice, Homeland Security, and intelligence agencies. When asked about this process, government spokespersons either refused comment or never responded.
News outlets already reported that Afghanistan would likely appear on the new ban list. The Taliban took control there when American forces left in 2021. What remained unclear until this leak was which other countries might join the list. The draft leaves many questions open, like whether people with current visas can stay or if green card holders face problems.
Just recently, the administration canceled the green card of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born former Columbia University student. Officials say he led campus protests against Israel's Gaza war that they call antisemitic. This action started a legal fight about whether such moves were lawful. Many countries on the proposed lists match patterns from earlier bans—they have mostly Muslim populations or non-white citizens, limited resources, or governments seen as weak.
Some additions seem puzzling to observers. Bhutan, a small Buddhist and Hindu nation between China and India, appears on the absolute ban list. Neither China nor India made any of the lists. Russia's inclusion raises questions since Trump wants friendlier ties with that country. Banning Venezuelans might hurt recent progress that helped Trump deport undocumented migrants.
A third "yellow" group includes 22 nations that would receive 60 days to fix problems. These countries risk moving to stricter lists if they fail to improve. Their issues include not sharing traveler information, having weak passport security, or selling citizenship to people from banned countries. This group contains Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, and many others.
Courts blocked Trump's first two travel bans during his earlier presidency. The Supreme Court eventually allowed a revised version targeting eight countries, six with mostly Muslim populations. President Biden canceled these bans when he took office in January 2021, calling them "a stain on our national conscience" and against American traditions of welcoming people regardless of faith.
Trump's January executive order claims the bans protect Americans from foreigners who might plan terrorist attacks, threaten national security, spread hateful ideas, or misuse immigration laws for harmful purposes. The administration continues developing these plans despite criticism from those who see them as discriminatory based on religion or nationality.
The harshest rules would stop all visitors from 11 nations on a "red" list. These countries include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. Officials stress that this plan might change before it reaches the White House. Experts from embassies and security agencies are reviewing the list immediately to check if the concerns about each country are correct.
A second group of 10 nations would face strict limits but not total bans. Rich business travelers might still enter the United States, but regular tourists or immigrants would struggle to visit. Everyone from these "orange" countries would need face-to-face interviews for visas. This group includes Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan.
Trump signed orders on January 20 telling the State Department to find countries with poor security screening. He gave them 60 days to finish a report listing these places, which is due next week. The Bureau of Consular Affairs leads this work with help from the Justice, Homeland Security, and intelligence agencies. When asked about this process, government spokespersons either refused comment or never responded.
News outlets already reported that Afghanistan would likely appear on the new ban list. The Taliban took control there when American forces left in 2021. What remained unclear until this leak was which other countries might join the list. The draft leaves many questions open, like whether people with current visas can stay or if green card holders face problems.
Just recently, the administration canceled the green card of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born former Columbia University student. Officials say he led campus protests against Israel's Gaza war that they call antisemitic. This action started a legal fight about whether such moves were lawful. Many countries on the proposed lists match patterns from earlier bans—they have mostly Muslim populations or non-white citizens, limited resources, or governments seen as weak.
Some additions seem puzzling to observers. Bhutan, a small Buddhist and Hindu nation between China and India, appears on the absolute ban list. Neither China nor India made any of the lists. Russia's inclusion raises questions since Trump wants friendlier ties with that country. Banning Venezuelans might hurt recent progress that helped Trump deport undocumented migrants.
A third "yellow" group includes 22 nations that would receive 60 days to fix problems. These countries risk moving to stricter lists if they fail to improve. Their issues include not sharing traveler information, having weak passport security, or selling citizenship to people from banned countries. This group contains Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, and many others.
Courts blocked Trump's first two travel bans during his earlier presidency. The Supreme Court eventually allowed a revised version targeting eight countries, six with mostly Muslim populations. President Biden canceled these bans when he took office in January 2021, calling them "a stain on our national conscience" and against American traditions of welcoming people regardless of faith.
Trump's January executive order claims the bans protect Americans from foreigners who might plan terrorist attacks, threaten national security, spread hateful ideas, or misuse immigration laws for harmful purposes. The administration continues developing these plans despite criticism from those who see them as discriminatory based on religion or nationality.
