President Donald Trump was seen addressing the public in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2025. The Trump Administration is reportedly contemplating a new travel restriction affecting citizens from around 43 countries, potentially expanding on the initial travel ban that focused on Muslim-majority nations during Trump’s first term.
A leaked internal memo, initially disclosed by the New York Times and then confirmed by Reuters, reveals that the Trump Administration is discussing the addition of new countries to a revised travel ban list. The memo outlines a tiered system, categorizing countries into red, orange, and yellow levels.
Countries labeled under the “red” tier, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Syria, and others, could face a complete ban on entry into the United States. However, the list is subject to change as it was drafted by the State Department and may be revised. The “orange” category, which includes Haiti, Russia, and Pakistan, might see strict visa restrictions requiring mandatory in-person interviews for visa issuance. Countries in the “yellow” category, such as Cambodia and Zimbabwe, have been given a 60-day period to address concerns raised by the Administration, failing which they risk escalation to higher categories.
As of now, the White House has not publicly responded to the leaked memo. TIME has reached out to the White House for further comments.
This potential new travel ban discussion follows comments made by President Trump during a recent press briefing, where he dismissed questions about the targeted countries for the revised ban, calling it an inappropriate query. Trump had campaigned on reinstating the travel ban, which had garnered significant attention during his first term. His Executive Order titled “Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats,” signed on Jan. 20, indicated his determination to follow through on this promise.
Looking back at the history of Trump’s travel ban, the initial order in January 2017 faced legal challenges due to its impact on Muslim-majority countries like Iraq, Somalia, and Yemen. This led to protests and legal battles, eventually resulting in a modified version approved by the Supreme Court affecting citizens from specific countries.
In 2018, the ban was upheld. These countries may face renewed risk if a revised list is implemented. President Joe Biden overturned the ban in 2021, denouncing it as “contrary to our tradition of welcoming people of all beliefs.” He described the separation of families as causing enduring pain and labeled the ban as morally incorrect. During his campaign, Trump had pledged to reinstate the travel ban, which he reiterated in 2024. At a rally in Minnesota, he promised to reinstate the ban, halt refugee admissions, and fortify border security. Despite not fulfilling his promise on his first day in office, Trump signed an Executive Order on his second term directing officials to evaluate countries with deficient vetting procedures. The report is expected to be submitted to the President soon. This order is part of a series of measures aiming to toughen US immigration policies. Contact us at letters@time.com for more information.
