Overview

Following March 14, 2025, reporting from The New York Times (NYT) that President Trump may issue travel bans against foreign nationals from up to 43 countries—Muslim Advocates is issuing an urgent travel advisory for people who may be impacted by these bans. Under the terms of an executive order of President Trump, the administration has until Friday, March 21, 2025, to make recommendations to him about which countries to designate for bans. It’s unclear whether President Trump might receive and act on such recommendations by implementing the bans sooner than Friday, March 21, 2025—which is why this travel advisory is urgent. On the flip side, it’s also unclear if President Trump will act immediately on recommendations for entry bans that he receives from his administration or if related bans could begin at some point beyond Friday, March 21, 2025.   

Although it’s not yet confirmed when the bans will issue, which countries will be designated for bans, and what levels of restrictions their nationals will face—the March 14 reporting of the NYT referenced a draft list within the administration that’s organized into three color-coded tiers: 

• Afghanistan
• Bhutan
• Cuba
• Iran
• Libya
• North Korea
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Syria
• Venezuela
• Yemen

• Belarus
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Laos
• Myanmar
• Pakistan
• Russia
• Sierra Leone
• South Sudan
• Turkmenistan

• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Cambodia
• 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
• Zimbabwe

On the campaign trail ahead of the recent elections, President Trump expressed his intention, if elected, to include Palestinians from Gaza as part of the next set of bans. And on March 11, 2025, The Miami Herald reported the possibility that Haiti could be included in the bans somehow.  

Right now we don’t know how the impacts of any new bans may differ for non-immigrant visa-holders, immigrant visa-holders, and/or asylees and refugees. 

• Non-immigrant visas allow temporary presence in the U.S. for a given purpose, like tourism, studying, or working. 
• Immigrant visas allow for ongoing/indefinite presence in the U.S. and are also referred to as green cards or Lawful Permanent Residency.
• Status as an asylee or refugee allows for ongoing/indefinite presence in the U.S. and the ability to obtain Lawful Permanent Residency.

The guidance below doesn’t constitute legal advice, and it aims to err on the side of caution, given all that’s unknown right now. Once any new travel bans are issued, we’ll share related guidance as quickly as we can.

At the end of this guidance is a list of resources ranging from psychosocial support, attorney-referral directories and possibilities, and rights-awareness content.

Like so many of you, we’re outraged by the breadth and depth of harm that this administration is pursuing based on its white supremacist, Christian nationalist agenda—including through the specter of new and expanded Muslim and African bans. We draw courage from knowing that our communities and partners have weathered many challenges like the ones the current climate presents. None of us are in this alone, and Muslim Advocates and its partners are committed to supporting and defending impacted communities. Together, as we all navigate the current climate, let’s never lose sight of the society we want and have been building towards: a society that promotes belonging, safety, and well-being for everyone.     

Guidance

If you’re a foreign national with a valid visa or valid refugee/asylee travel document who is outside the U.S., consider: 

• Seeking entry into the U.S. as soon as possible and before Friday, March 21, 2025;
• Talking as soon as possible with a qualified and reputable attorney, so you can get advice about how to navigate your encounter with U.S. Customs and Border Protection when you seek to enter the U.S., including advice concerning your electronic devices and social media; and
• Accessing the free, online, know-your-rights resource libraries flagged at the end of this post—as soon as possible and ahead of your travel.      

If you’re a foreign national who’s already present in the U.S., consider:

• Avoiding international travel until related, potential  risks become clearer and you can receive related, individualized, pre-travel guidance from a competent attorney. 
• Talking as soon as possible with a qualified and reputable attorney:
  • Before any unavoidable international travel, so you can get advice about how to navigate your interactions with U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon your attempt to re-enter, including advice concerning the validity of your travel document and advice about your electronic devices and social media;
  • Before submitting any applications to renew or change your immigration status; and
  • About any pending or concluded scrutiny, investigations, charges, or proceedings relating to your speech and expression and involving a school you’ve attended, your employer(s), and/or any law enforcement agency/ies.

If you’re a foreign national with a valid visa or valid refugee/asylee travel document who cannot avoid international travel, then consider:

• Returning to the United States as soon as possible: ideally, before Friday, March 21,  2025;
• Traveling with: 
  • A DHS Form G-28 that’s signed by an attorney capable of representing you in your interactions with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in case CBP allows you to contact them or otherwise might be more inclined to treat you properly just because you have a lawyer;
  • An advocacy letter from an attorney that you can present to CBP, laying out why CBP should allow you to re-enter the U.S.;
  • Your attorney’s contact information; and 
  • The contact information of loved ones who have your passport and visa numbers and your flight and travel details;
• Accessing the free, online, know-your-rights resource libraries flagged at the end of this post—as soon as possible and ahead of your unavoidable travel. 

Resources

Potential resources and/or referrals for psychosocial support:

• Medically reviewed guidance from Healthline.com for simple techniques to help calm and ground any of us who might be experiencing overwhelm 
• The BIPOC Mental Health Resources guide of the Mental Health Coalition 
• The Communities of Color page on the website of Mental Health America 
• The Community Resources page on the website of the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network

Potential resources and/or referrals for connecting with qualified attorneys for guidance ahead of any unavoidable international travel:

• The National Immigration Legal Services Directory of the Immigration Advocates Network
• The attorney directory of the National Immigration Project
• The attorney directory of the American Immigration Lawyers Association
• American Civil Liberties Union
• Muslim Advocates 
• The CLEAR project
• Asian Law Caucus
• PANA
• CAIR
• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
• Arab Resource and Organizing Center
• African Communities Together

Rights-awareness content from:

• Muslim Advocates and partners
• The CLEAR Project, including content concerning return from international travel
• Asian Law Caucus, including content concerning return from international travel
• American Civil Liberties Union, including content concerning return from international travel
• National Immigration Law Center
• Access Now, including content on digital security (broadly) and content about how to try to stay safe online in the context of communications or expressions concerning Gaza