Is Trump Preparing a New Travel Ban? Unpacking the Potential Changes Ahead

One of Donald Trump’s initial actions as president in 2017 was enforcing a prohibition on travel to the U.S. from various countries with Muslim majority populations. Throughout his campaign, he promised to reinstate the ban if he secured another victory.

“We will secure our borders and reinstate the travel ban,” Trump declared at an event in Washington in September.

On Monday, marking his first day in office for a second term, Trump issued an executive order which mandates “enhanced screening and vetting” for any individuals seeking visas to enter the U.S.

Moreover, within 60 days of the order, a report is to be presented to the President highlighting countries worldwide “for which vetting and screening information is significantly lacking to warrant a partial or complete suspension on the entry of nationals from those countries.”

Which nations were impacted previously?

Initiating with an executive order in January 2017, the Trump Administration sought to temporarily bar entry into the U.S. for citizens from several Muslim-majority nations.

The administration’s attempt to do so faced initial legal obstacles. A subsequent attempt was also thwarted. However, in June 2018, the final iteration of the ban was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court.

The original ban targeted five Muslim-majority nations: Yemen, Syria, Iran, Libya, and Somalia. It also imposed restrictions on nationals from Venezuela and North Korea.

Later, in 2020, the ban was broadened to encompass six additional nations – Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.

What were the limitations?

The U.S. halted the issuance of both immigrant and non-immigrant visas, encompassing those for tourism and short-term business, for numerous countries.

Exceptions were permitted for students and individuals who have established “significant connections” in the U.S. Non-immigrant visas remained unaffected for Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, and Nigeria.

The majority of North Koreans were restricted from entering the U.S., while the ban on Venezuelan nationals mainly targeted government representatives.

The CEOs of Expedia Inc., Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Lyft, and Uber denounced the ban, igniting years of legal disputes.

After President Trump’s term concluded, President Joe Biden annulled the ban on his inaugural day of presidency in 2021.

What was Muslim tourism to the U.S. like prior to the ban, and after it was rescinded?

In 2016, prior to the travel restrictions, CrescentRating’s 2017 Global Muslim Travel Index rated the U.S. with an overall index score of 48.6 (on a scale of 0 to 100) concerning Muslim tourism.

Index scores are derived from multiple factors, including how travel brands accommodate Muslim travelers, safety, visa regulations, access to prayer facilities, and lodging options.

The U.S. received a score of 26 in the 2024 index for overall safety concerning Muslim travelers, a significant drop compared to 62 in the 2017 report.

The overall index has not fully rebounded in the years following the Biden Administration lifting the ban in 2021: By 2024, the overall score had only recovered to 43, placing the U.S. in 53rd position globally.

Nonetheless, in terms of arrivals to the U.S., the nations included in the ban were not amongst the top 12 contributors to tourism in the U.S.

The top 12 countries with the most visitors to the U.S. include India, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and China, as reported by the International Trade Administration.

What’s Next?

International arrivals to the U.S. from all nations “continued to rise significantly in 2023,” totaling 66.5 million, according to the International Trade Administration.

This signifies a 31% increase from 2022. Projections indicate that total international visitors will continue to surge in the forthcoming two years, from both the leading 12 countries and other nations.