U.S. to Implement Stringent Security Categories

The Trump administration is reportedly considering implementing a new travel ban that could include tiered security measures targeting business and leisure travelers. This executive order, which could be signed as early as this week, would expand on the 2017 travel ban, introduce an expanded list of countries, and set up security mitigation requirements for other nations.

The Trump administration reportedly plans to augment the first-term travel ban, potentially creating a more comprehensive system of tiered security measures. This new system, according to reports, could potentially limit the entry of business and leisure travelers from certain countries.

A new executive order, which could be signed by former U.S. President Donald Trump as early as this week, is expected to build on the 2017 travel ban. This initial ban restricted entry into the United States for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries, which the administration identified as having inadequate immigration screening and security measures.

Sources including Reuters and the New York Times cited officials within the Trump administration who reveal that a new executive order could not only sustain the ban on travel to the U.S. for most countries listed in the president’s original order (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) but also establish an expanded list of countries and security mitigation requirements for other nations.

A draft of this executive order, currently under review by government officials, has reportedly added Afghanistan to the list of ‘red’ countries, implying that Afghan citizens would be barred from traveling to the U.S. However, it remains unclear if this provision is final.

The draft order also proposes a category of ‘orange’ countries. Although the countries falling under this category have not been disclosed, it is anticipated that citizens from these countries would be subject to additional screening processes to obtain U.S. travel visas. Furthermore, the types of visas issued to individuals from these ‘orange’ countries are expected to be restricted — potentially available to business travelers but largely denied to tourists or those seeking to immigrate.

A third category of ‘yellow’ countries must enhance their security and screening processes within 60 days or risk being elevated to the ‘orange’ or ‘red’ categories. Such enhancements may include providing the U.S. with specific traveler information or improving security practices for issuing passports.

At this point, it remains unclear whether the travel and immigration visas for individuals from these countries who are currently in the United States will remain active or be canceled.

In January, President Trump set the groundwork for increased travel and immigration security measures. He tasked the State Department, Homeland Security, National Intelligence, and the Attorney General with developing a list of countries where vetting and screening information was so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension of the admission of nationals from those countries.

The Global Business Travel Association estimates that Trump’s 2017 travel bans and electronics policies reduced business and meetings travel-related spending to the U.S. by $1.3 billion that year. The impact of the potential new ban remains to be seen.

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