The Trump administration has drawn up a ‘red’ list of 11 countries whose residents would be excluded from entering the United States, part of a larger travel ban on as many as 43 countries. Officials said this list, which the State Department devised weeks ago, could shift before it goes to the White House.
This action comes after an executive order signed by Trump on January 20, which requires the State Department to make a list of countries with poor vetting and screening data to justify partial or complete suspensions of nationals from those nations. The department was required to put together the list within 60 days, and the deadline looms next week.
What Are The Proposed Travel Ban Lists?
The suggested lists of banned countries for travel have been classified into three lists: Red, Orange, and Yellow.
Red: The nationals of Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen would not be allowed entry into the United States.
Orange: Travel would be limited for Belarussian citizens, Eritrean, Haitian, Laotian, Burmese, Pakistani, Russian, Sierra Leonean, South Sudanese, and Turkmen nationals, with limitations on immigrant visas. Businessmen could be permitted entry, but they would have to undergo in-person interviews.
Yellow: The other 22 nations have 60 days to correct shortcomings, or they might be transferred to other groups. They include Angola, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Vanuatu.
Why Bhutan Is On The List
Bhutan is on the travel ban list because of ‘national security concerns’ and ‘irregular migration patterns’. There has been a significant surge in Bhutanese nationals overstaying their visas or trying to enter the U.S. through unauthorized channels. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) saw a 37% increase in Bhutanese visa abuses last year, prompting stricter measures. This will lead to greater scrutiny, longer visa processing, and denials for citizens of Bhutan. Moreover, existing visa holders are likely to experience difficulties in visa renewal. Bhutan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked for a review, stating that its citizens are not a significant security threat.
Impact of the Travel Ban
The travel ban can also bring questions as to what will happen to people who already have visas and if they will be exempt from the ban or if their visas will be revoked. The case of green card holders is unclear. The addition of Russia, which is not being banned outright but limited, complicates the list. A few nations on the red and orange lists had previously been sanctioned during Trump’s first term, but some of the new additions have been controversial.
Trump’s first travel ban, which was issued in 2017, was aimed at Muslim-majority nations, and it banned entry from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The Supreme Court, in 2018, upheld the ban, but when Joe Biden came into office in 2021, he overturned it, referring to it as ‘a stain on our national conscience’ and contrary to the U.S.’s long tradition of embracing people of all religions. Trump has promised to bring back the travel ban if he gets re-elected, vowing to implement more stringent immigration measures from ‘day one’ of his rule.
