Daily Times

A White House official told Fox News Digital that no final decision has been made regarding a potential travel ban that could impact over 40 countries.

Reports from Reuters and The New York Times indicate that the U.S. is considering imposing strict or complete travel restrictions on certain nations. However, Fox News Digital has not independently verified these details.

According to these reports, a proposed color-coded system would categorize countries based on travel restrictions. The strictest “red” category would fully bar citizens from 11 nations—including Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba, Bhutan, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen—from entering the U.S.

During a State Department briefing on Monday, spokeswoman Tammy Bruce dismissed the existence of an official list but acknowledged an ongoing review.

“There is no list,” Bruce stated. “What people have been discussing over the last several days is not something the State Department is actively acting on. There is an ongoing review under the president’s executive order to assess how best to ensure U.S. security in terms of visas and entry regulations. But the idea that an official list exists is simply untrue.”

The reported system would also place countries such as Russia and Pakistan in the “orange” category, allowing travel but with tighter visa restrictions. Meanwhile, the “yellow” tier would monitor select nations—reportedly including some African and Caribbean countries like St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda—giving them roughly two months to make necessary adjustments to avoid stricter measures. The exact number of affected countries remains uncertain, with Reuters citing 41 and The New York Times reporting 43.

Comparison to Previous Travel Bans

The proposed measures draw parallels to the 2017 travel ban enacted under former President Donald Trump, which restricted travel from Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Libya. That executive order faced legal challenges and criticism, with opponents branding it a “Muslim ban.” Trump, however, defended the move as a counterterrorism measure rather than a religiously motivated action.

Criticism and Concerns

The rumored travel restrictions have already sparked backlash. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams highlighted concerns over potential discrimination, tweeting:

“Today’s the International Day to Combat Islamophobia—timely given the threats to civil liberties and reports of a so-called Muslim travel ban. New Yorkers must stand united against hate and bigotry.”

Meanwhile, American Enterprise Institute fellow Sadanand Dhume questioned the logic of including Bhutan—a small, peaceful Himalayan nation—in the list, calling it “utterly insane.”

“I hope someone at [the State Department] reviews this list and realizes that any kind of travel ban on Bhutan, a peaceful, landlocked Buddhist kingdom of just 800,000 people, makes no sense,” he stated.

Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor U.S. Customs and Border Protection has commented on the matter.