HARARE – The Trump administration is reportedly drafting a new travel ban that could impact citizens from 43 countries, including Zimbabwe, as part of broader immigration restrictions. The proposal, which has not yet been finalised, categorises affected nations into three tiers, with varying degrees of entry restrictions into the United States.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the draft, developed by U.S. diplomatic and security officials, includes a “red” list of 11 countries whose citizens would be outright banned from entering the U.S. These nations include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
A second tier, labelled as the “orange” list, comprises 10 nations where visa restrictions would be significantly tightened. Citizens from these countries, including Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan, would still be able to travel but would face more stringent vetting processes.
Zimbabwe falls under the “yellow” list, which includes 22 countries given a 60-day window to address concerns related to security practices, data sharing, and passport issuance. If these concerns are not resolved, Zimbabwe and others on this list risk facing stricter travel measures or even complete bans. Other countries on the yellow list include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, 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 Antigua and Barbuda.
The Trump administration’s latest executive order calls for an assessment of nations where “vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries.” Officials from the State Department, Homeland Security, and intelligence agencies are currently reviewing the proposal to determine whether the listed countries meet the criteria.
Critics argue that the proposed restrictions disproportionately affect Muslim-majority and non-Western countries. Some analysts also question the inclusion of certain nations, such as Bhutan, a small Buddhist-majority country, and Zimbabwe, which has had no significant history of security concerns with the U.S.
It remains unclear whether individuals with existing U.S. visas, green card holders, or those with dual citizenship will be exempt from the new measures. The Trump administration has previously revoked green cards, as seen in the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born former Columbia University student accused of leading anti-Israel protests, sparking legal battles over the move.
This latest travel ban could also face legal challenges, as did previous versions. During Trump’s first term, courts initially blocked earlier bans before the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a revised version in 2018. The Biden administration later revoked the ban in 2021, describing it as discriminatory and inconsistent with America’s values of inclusivity.
As the policy continues to be debated, U.S. embassies and regional security specialists are assessing its implications. The final decision on the travel ban is expected in the coming weeks, with potential modifications to the current draft list.
The full investigative report, originally published by The New York Times, provides further insights into the ongoing deliberations and potential consequences of this policy shift.
