US finalising expanded travel ban for targeted countries

The Trump administration is nearing completion of a new travel ban targeting citizens from certain countries, which is expected to be broader than the previous versions implemented during his first term.

A draft recommendation circulating within the administration proposes a “red” list of countries whose citizens could face a complete ban from entering the US, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

One official indicated that the proposed list would primarily include nations previously affected by Trump’s earlier travel bans, such as Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. 

The draft also suggests adding Afghanistan to the list, which would lead to a complete travel ban for its citizens. Shawn VanDiver, the head of AfghanEvac, a nonprofit group that helps resettle Afghans who worked with US forces, confirmed that he was informed Afghan citizens would be subject to the ban. "This is the most vetted population that there has ever been," VanDiver stated. "It is crazy how much these people go through." VanDiver, a Navy veteran, further explained that many veterans who supported Trump during the Afghan war now feel betrayed. "They’re saying, ‘This isn’t what I voted for,’” he said. “The deal was you need to bring our wartime allies home. And they’re just betraying these folks.” In addition to the “red” list, the draft includes an “orange” category for countries where travel would be restricted but not entirely prohibited.

Certain types of visas, such as for business travelers, might be issued, but visas for immigrants and tourists would likely be blocked. Furthermore, applicants would be required to attend in-person interviews, and the length of their visas may be shortened. Countries in a third, “yellow” category would have 60 days to resolve specific deficiencies, such as failure to share traveler information with the US, inadequate passport security, or the sale of citizenship to people from banned countries to bypass restrictions. 

If these issues are not addressed, the countries could be moved to the more restrictive lists. The Department of State has been tasked with finalizing the recommendations, with input from various US government agencies, including Homeland Security and intelligence agencies. While the department confirmed it is following Trump's executive order, it declined to comment on the specifics of internal discussions. The new travel restrictions come on the heels of Trump’s 2017 travel ban, which initially targeted Muslim-majority countries but later expanded to other low-income nations. The policy sparked major protests, and the courts temporarily blocked its enforcement. 

However, a revised version was eventually allowed to take effect. Upon taking office in January 2021, President Joe Biden reversed Trump’s travel bans, restoring a system of individualized vetting. Biden criticised the bans as “a stain on our national conscience” and argued they "undermined our national security." Trump’s new travel restrictions are aimed at protecting American citizens from individuals he believes could commit terrorist acts or exploit immigration laws for malicious purposes. The official report, which will include a list of affected countries, is expected to be submitted to the White House within the next two weeks.

By Naila Huseynova