The Trump administration is considering an expanded travel ban that could restrict entry for citizens from up to 43 countries, officials said.
The proposal would go beyond the restrictions imposed during Trump’s first term. A draft list circulating within the administration includes a “red” list of 11 countries, including Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. Several African nations are also among those potentially affected.
During his campaign, Trump pledged to reinstate the travel ban, which first gained attention in 2017 when he signed an executive order barring Syrian refugees and temporarily suspending entry for citizens from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The policy faced widespread protests and legal challenges, with critics labeling it a “Muslim ban.”
President Joe Biden repealed the ban upon taking office in 2021. The new proposal signals a potential return to similar policies, though no final decision has been announced.