Donald Trump’s administration is drafting tighter entry rules to the United States including possible bans and curbs on some citizens from 43 countries, it has been reported.
Citing unnamed U.S. officials, The New York Times reported that a list had been drawn up of three country categories—red, orange and yellow.
The red list comprises 11 countries whose citizens face a complete ban while the other two lists would face visa restrictions pending reviews, making a total of 43 countries, according to the publication.
Reuters had reported there were 41 countries in the frame for the restrictions.
Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department for comment.
President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on March 13, 2025 in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on March 13, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Why it matters
Upon entering the Oval Office on January 20, Trump issued an executive order requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the U.S, to detect national security threats.
The prospect of prohibiting entry to citizens from dozens of countries has echoes of Trump’s ban on seven Muslim-majority nations during his first term, which sparked angry responses and legal challenges before being upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The ban was revoked by the administration of President Joe Biden.
What to know
Trump gave the State Department 60 days to finish a report for the White House on a list of countries which had deficient vetting and screening information of citizens.
The process was led by the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs and assisted by the Justice and Homeland Security Departments and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, according to the NYT.
Proposed is a “red” list of 11 countries whose citizens would be flatly barred from entering the U.S. Included is Afghanistan, which was not part of Trump’s first-term travel bans but fell to the Taliban when the U.S. withdrew its forces in 2021.
Red List:
- Afghanistan.
- Bhutan.
- Cuba.
- Iran.
- Libya.
- North Korea.
- Somalia.
- Sudan.
- Syria.
- Venezuela.
- Yemen.
So far, there is an “orange” list of 10 countries whose citizens face restrictions but travel would not be cut off and could include business travelers but not those on immigrant or tourist visas. Visa candidates would require in-person interviews.
These include visitors from Russia although Trump has been trying to reorient U.S. foreign policy in a more Moscow-friendly direction.
Orange list
- Belarus
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Russia
- Sierra Leone
- South Sudan
- Turkmenistan
On a yellow list are 22 countries which have 60 days to clear up perceived deficiencies and could be relegated to other lists if they do not comply.
Some of the issues these countries must address include failing to share with the United States information about incoming travelers, purportedly inadequate security practices for issuing passports, or the selling of citizenship to people from banned countries.
Yellow list
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Chad
- Republic of Congo
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Dominica
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gambia
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Vanuatu
- Zimbabwe
What people are saying
The New York Times: “The Trump administration is considering targeting the citizens of as many as 43 countries as part of a new ban on travel to the United States.”
What happens next
The NYT said the lists had been drawn up several weeks ago but would likely be changed by the time it reached the White House pending reviews from security specialists, embassies and State Department regional bureau officials.
Also, under the reported State Department plans, it is not clear if those with existing visas would be exempted from the ban, or if their visas would be canceled. It is also uncertain whether green card holders would be exempt.
