Trump wants to expand the list of countries banned from entering the US

Former US President and candidate in the upcoming elections Donald Trump’s administration is planning to further restrict entry to the United States for citizens of certain countries. This was reported by The New York Times.

New bans and the “red list”

According to sources, Washington is planning to implement a new system called the “red list.” Under this system, citizens of certain countries may be completely banned from entering the US. The following countries may be included in the list:
- Cuba
- Iran
- Libya
- North Korea
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Venezuela
- Yemen
- Afghanistan (proposed option)

Various levels of restrictions

The planned measures aim to restrict citizens' access to the US to varying degrees:

1. Red list – Citizens of countries on this list will be completely banned from entering the US.

2. Pink list – Entry for citizens of these countries will be restricted, but not completely closed. For example, only wealthy entrepreneurs or certain visa categories may be allowed.

3. Yellow list – These countries will be given 60 days to correct their deficiencies. If the specified requirements are not met, they will be moved to the “red” or “pink” list.

These deficiencies include:

• Providing false information about those arriving in the US;
• Weaknesses in passport and security check systems;
• Some countries selling citizenship to individuals from banned states.

Impact on visa and green card holders

It is currently unclear how these bans will affect existing visa and green card holders. There is no official information on whether existing visas may be revoked.

Trump administration's previous bans

Trump first implemented restrictions on entry for citizens of certain countries in 2017. This ban initially included Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. Later, in 2020, Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Tanzania, and Sudan were added to this list.

Biden's repeal of the bans

After Joe Biden took office in 2021, he repealed all visa bans imposed by the Trump administration. In its place, an individual screening system for citizens entering the US was reintroduced.

If Trump is elected president again, he may tighten the entry rules for the US even further. These measures are likely to create serious restrictions for citizens of certain countries. So far, no official decision has been made on this issue, but it is known that the proposal is under discussion.
Photo: Jim Wilson/The New York Times