The United States President, Donald Trump, is preparing to impose a travel ban on 43 countries as part of a broader immigration crackdown, according to an internal memo cited by Reuters.
The memo, which has not yet been approved by the administration, categorizes the affected nations into three groups—red, orange, and yellow—based on the severity of restrictions.
The red group, comprising 11 countries, would face a total travel ban, preventing their nationals from entering the US. These countries include Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Cuba, Bhutan, Venezuela, North Korea, Yemen, and Somalia.
The orange group consists of 10 nations whose visa issuance would be significantly restricted. This list includes Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Pakistan, Laos, Turkmenistan, Haiti, and Eritrea.
The yellow group, the largest with 22 countries, has been given a 60-day deadline to address US concerns or risk visa restrictions. These countries 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, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.
Notably, economic powerhouses such as Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, and Egypt are not included in the ban.
While the policy has not been finalized, a US official told Reuters that modifications could still be made before approval. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to play a key role in the decision-making process.
