Trump Administration Considers New Travel Ban Affecting 43 Countries

The Trump administration is contemplating a travel ban affecting up to 43 countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Russia, categorized into Red, Orange, and Yellow lists. The Red List entails a complete ban, while the Orange List imposes restrictions, particularly affecting immigrants and tourists. This proposal follows a previous travel ban enacted during Trump’s first term.

The Trump administration is reportedly deliberating a travel ban that could impact citizens from up to 43 nations, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Russia, according to The New York Times. A draft proposal from security officials suggests categorizing countries into three distinct groups: Red, Orange, and Yellow, with the Red List indicating a full travel prohibition to the United States.

Countries such as Pakistan and Russia are placed on the ‘Orange List’, which includes ten nations facing restricted travel rather than an outright ban. This category could permit affluent business travelers to gain access, yet immigrant and tourist visa applicants would encounter limitations and mandatory in-person interviews for visa approval, as reported by The New York Times.

Additional countries identified in the ‘Orange List’ include Myanmar, Belarus, Haiti, Laos, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan. Conversely, ten nations—with Afghanistan and Bhutan among them—are categorized on the ‘Red List’, implying that their citizens may experience a total visa suspension.

Other nations included on the Red List are Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, as detailed by The New York Times. Furthermore, the draft features a ‘Yellow List’ comprising 22 countries which will be given 60 days to address specific deficiencies to avoid possible progression to either of the more restrictive lists.

Countries on the Yellow List include 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, Sao Tome and Principe, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.

This move marks the second attempt by Donald Trump to implement a travel ban, following an earlier initiative in his first term which affected citizens from seven predominantly Muslim nations. This past policy faced numerous revisions before being ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018, targeting Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, as reported by Al Jazeera.

In summary, the Trump administration is considering a travel ban targeting citizens from 43 countries categorized into Red, Orange, and Yellow lists. Citizens from nations on the Red List would face complete travel restrictions, while the Orange List permits restricted access primarily for affluent travelers. The proposal reflects ongoing security concerns and could have significant implications for international relations and travel policies.

Original Source: www.business-standard.com