A White House official told Fox News Digital that no final decisions have been made regarding a potential travel ban that could impact more than 40 countries.
Reports from Reuters and The New York Times suggest that the US is considering imposing severe or complete travel restrictions on certain nations, though Fox News Digital has not independently confirmed the details.
According to these reports, a proposed colour-coded system would categorize countries based on their travel restrictions. The most stringent "red" level would completely bar citizens from 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba, Bhutan, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen, from entering the United States.
During a State Department briefing on Monday, spokeswoman Tammy Bruce denied the existence of an official list but confirmed an ongoing review.
"Well, first of all, there is no list," Bruce stated. "What people are looking at over these last several days is not a list that exists here that is being acted on. There is a review, as we know through the president's executive order, for us to look at the nature of what's gonna help keep America safer when dealing with the issue of visas and who's allowed into the country.
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"But what has being touted as something as an item through the State Department just simply isn't the case."
The reported system would also place other countries, including Russia and Pakistan, under the "orange" tier, meaning travel would still be permitted but with additional visa restrictions.
Meanwhile, a "yellow" tier would monitor certain nations, allegedly including some African and Caribbean countries such as St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda, giving them roughly two months to make adjustments to avoid stricter restrictions. The exact number of affected countries remains unclear, with Reuters citing 41 and The New York Times stating 43.
Comparisons to previous travel bans
The proposal draws comparisons to the 2017 travel ban issued during former President Donald Trump’s administration. That executive order restricted travel from Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Libya, leading to legal challenges and criticism from opponents who labelled it a "Muslim ban." However, Trump defended the measure, stating it was not religion-based but intended to prevent terrorism.
Also Read: Pakistan may be placed in ‘Orange Category’ under new US travel restrictions: NYT
Criticism over the new proposed restrictions has already begun. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams addressed concerns about potential discrimination, tweeting:
"Today's the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, all too timely and relevant in our current moment. With the threat of diminished civil liberties and a so-called Muslim travel ban allegedly in the works, New Yorkers must stay united and refuse to engage in hate and bigotry."
Additionally, American Enterprise Institute fellow Sadanand Dhume questioned why Bhutan—a small, peaceful Himalayan nation—would be included, calling the move "utterly insane."
"I hope someone at [the State Department] reviews this list and notices that any kind of [travel ban] on Bhutan, a peaceful, landlocked Himalayan Buddhist kingdom (population: ~800,000) wedged between India and China, is utterly insane."
The Department of Homeland Security did not provide a comment on the matter, while U.S. Customs and Border Protection declined to discuss internal documents.
