United States President, Donald Trump is weighing a new travel ban that could impact 43 countries.
According to Reuters, a memo categorizes the 43 nations into three groups—red, orange, and yellow—based on the level of restrictions proposed.
However, major African economies such as Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, and Egypt are notably absent from the list.
The red list, which includes 11 countries, would face the strictest measures, barring their citizens from entering the U.S
This group consists of Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Cuba, Bhutan, Venezuela, North Korea, Yemen, and Somalia.
The orange list, made up of 10 countries, would see severe visa restrictions.
Nations in this category include Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Pakistan, Laos, Turkmenistan, Haiti, and Eritrea.
Meanwhile, the yellow list features 22 countries that have been given a “60-day deadline” to address security concerns before any restrictions take effect.
Countries in this category include Angola, 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.
The New York Times was the first to report the details of the proposed restrictions.
However, a U.S. official told Reuters that the list is still under review and could be altered before receiving final approval from the administration, including Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
The proposed ban is part of Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, which intensified after the start of his second term in January.
Notably, some Caribbean nations on the yellow list, such as Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia, are known for selling citizenship through investment programs.
In 2023, the European Union raised concerns about these so-called “golden passports,” warning that they had been granted to over 88,000 people from countries such as Iran, Nigeria, Russia, and China.
The EU is currently reviewing its visa policies for nations with investor citizenship schemes, particularly those associated with corruption and human rights issues.
Reports indicate that Dominica, with a population of just over 70,000, issued 34,500 passports by 2023, while St. Kitts and Nevis, home to 48,000 people, granted 36,700 passports.
