The Trump administration is dusting off the travel ban playbook and going even bigger. A draft memo leaked on March 14, 2025, lays out a three-tier system targeting citizens from 43 countries. The final version is on the way, but the message is already loud and clear: the U.S. is closing its doors—again.
A Color-Coded Crackdown
Red List (Total Ban)
Afghanistan. Cuba. Iran. North Korea. Sudan. Syria. Eleven countries in total. If this list sticks, citizens from these nations won’t be allowed into the U.S. at all—no visas, no exceptions. Some of these countries have long been on the chopping block. Others, like Bhutan, are newcomers with no clear reason for the sudden targeting.
Orange List (Selective Ban)
Think of this as a velvet rope policy. Russia, Pakistan, Belarus, and seven others would face tight restrictions. Tourists and immigrants? Likely shut out. Business travelers with deep pockets? Maybe. But only after an in-person interview.
Yellow List (Clock Is Ticking)
Twenty-two countries—including Cameroon, Dominica, and Gambia—are being told to “fix it or else.” They have 60 days to prove they meet U.S. security standards or risk being bumped up to red or orange. The criteria? Vague. The consequences? Severe.
Who Gets Caught in the Crossfire?
That’s still unclear. Will this apply to people who already have visas? Will it cancel approved visas? What about people here on humanitarian parole? There are no answers yet. Just fear and a growing sense of déjà vu.
This isn’t about safety. It’s about politics—and people will pay the price. Families. Students. Workers. Refugees. Communities already bracing for ICE raids and deportations now face yet another layer of uncertainty. The legal language is still unclear, but the potential human impact is devastating.
What You Can Do
If you’re from a country on this list, now is the time to act. Check your visa status. Gather your documents. Talk to a lawyer—now, not later. And if your community is at risk, speak up. Organize. Push back.
We’ve seen this before. We know how it starts. And we know how important it is to fight back early.
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