Presently, the draft lists Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen as “red” countries, meaning all travel is banned from those countries to the United States. The draft lists Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan as “orange” countries, which means that ordinary citizens of those countries are subject to an in-person interview to receive visas to enter the country, but this would most likely not apply to affluent business travelers.
The Trump administration is considering restrictions on travelers from as many as 43 countries as it works to address national security concerns, The New York Times reported Friday, citing government officials. The officials shared a list of countries that were flagged for review, noting that the administration has been working with the State Department and intelligence agencies as it finalizes new visa rules.
Was this meant to be leaked? The leaks of the second Trump presidency aren’t nearly as frequent or damaging as those during his first. On this order, if signed, we’re not going to have the deep state shenanigans at the Department of Justice during the first Trump administration where they initially refused to defend it. Acting Attorney General Sally Yates got fired, but Pam Bondi isn’t going to engage in such theatrics. Trump planned this action well. Get his people in at the DOJ, let them get the institution under their control, and then brace for the lawsuits that are to come from activist lawyers.