(Last updated: 17 December 2025)

Given the change in administration, and both anticipated and emerging changes to federal policy, we are providing noncitizens TAs of with practical guidance on international travel, navigating the border, and potentially dealing with federal agents.

The White House has significantly expanded travel restrictions. See updated country lists below.

DO NOT use advance parole to travel, regardless of your country of origin. Entry on advance parole is discretionary, and individuals—especially those from the affected countries—risk being denied re-entry. This is high priority guidance from our immigration attorney.

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Countries facing Heightened US-Border Scrutiny

Before traveling abroad, we advise that you consider: currently restricted, previously restricted, and potentially restricted countries.

Populations Which May Encounter Border Difficulties:

• Currently restricted “Full and partial travel ban,” “Countries of particular concern,” “Special watch list:” Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and holders of Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents.
• Previously restricted (under Trump): Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan (immigrant visas only), Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

As of December 2, 2025, a new USCIS policy memo (PM-602-0192) implements immediate holds and comprehensive re-reviews affecting 2 groups of immigration applications. This was expanded on December 16, 2025. These groups face detainment at US ports-of-entry.

• ALL asylum applicants: All Forms I-589 (Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal) are on hold, regardless of country of nationality.
• Nationals from Presidential Proclamation 10949 countries: If you list any of the following as your ‘Country of Birth’ OR ‘Country of Citizenship,’ you face additional restrictions on pending immigration benefit applications for Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status to green card), Form I-131 (Travel documents/advance parole), Form I-90 (Green card replacement), Form I-751 (Remove conditions on residence), and Form N-470 (Preserve residence for naturalization):
  • Currently restricted (everyone): Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and holders of Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents
  • Currently restricted (immigrants and B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, J visas only): Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan (immigrant visas only), Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  • Nationals from PP-10949 countries who entered the U.S. on or after January 20, 2021 may face mandatory interviews and re-interviews even if their applications were already approved.
  • Students Employees (undergrads; grad) and Employees (post-docs) from PP 10949 countries especially at risk:
    1. Those with pending adjustment of status (green card) applications face indefinite holds
    2. Those needing advance parole to travel internationally face holds on travel document applications
    3. Even those with approved green cards may face re-interviews.

As of June 14, 2025, a U.S. State Department memo lists 36 additional countries whose nationals could face partial or full restrictions to entering the U.S. This is not yet official. TALO will update travel advice accordingly.

• Potential ban: Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Côte D’Ivoire; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Ethiopia; Egypt; Gabon; The Gambia; Ghana; Kyrgyzstan; Liberia; Malawi; Mauritania; Niger; Nigeria; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; South Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Tonga; Tuvalu; Uganda; Vanuatu; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.

As of March 14, 2025, an internal Trump administration proposal lists 43 additional countries whose nationals could face partial or full restrictions to entering the U.S. This is not yet official. TALO will update travel advice accordingly.

• Potential ban:
  • Red (all travel banned): Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen.
  • Orange (visa severely restricted): Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Turkmenistan.
  • Yellow (60 days to address concerns): Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic, Republic of Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe.
• For this proposed list, anyone having travelled to or through those countries may also face increased scrutiny.

*Please note, as of 12:01am of June 9th, a federal order bans all citizens of the following countries seeking to come to the U.S. (permanently as legal immigrants or as temporary visa holders, like tourists): Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

**Please note, as of 12:01am of June 9th, a federal order bans citizens of the following countries seeking to come other the U.S. on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, or J Visas: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

***Please note, as of 12:01am of December 16th, a federal order bans all citizens of the following countries seeking to come to the U.S. (permanently as legal immigrants or as temporary visa holders): Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and holders of Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents.

****Please note, as of December 16, 2025, a federal proclamation bans citizens of the following countries seeking to come to the U.S. on immigrant visas or B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, or J Visas: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan (immigrant visas only), Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

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TRAVEL PREPARATIONS

Make you sure that you have:

Essential Documents

• Passport (valid for a minimum of 6 months) and a valid, unexpired visa with applicable immigration documents.
• Enrollment/employment verification (Brown appointment letters or funding proof).
• I-20/DS-2019 form with up-to-date travel signature (OISSS signatures are valid for 12 months and can be renewed via their dedicated gateway).
• F-1 students on post-completion OPT or STEM OPT should carry the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and an employment verification or offer letter from the current or prospective employer in addition to above mentioned items.
• J-1 students on post-completion Academic Training should carry extended DS-2019 with Academic Training notation and an employment verification or offer letter from the current or prospective employer.
• H-1B and O-1 Scholars must carry a valid I-797 Approval Notice issued by USCIS.  H-1B and O-1 scholars will want to travel with their most recent I-797 approval notice showing the validity dates of their O-1 or H-1B status.

Additional Documents Recommended by OISSS

• Evidence of Financial Support: OISSS recommends that F/J nonimmigrants carry proof of the financial support and resources reflected on their Form I-20 or DS-2019.
• Evidence of Current Semester’s Enrollment (Student): F-1 and J-1 students should carry a letter certifying active student status and enrollment. The letter can be obtained from the Brown Registrar’s Office in Page-Robinson Hall, 3rd Floor.
• Evidence of Valid Appointment with Brown University (Scholar):  J-1 Scholars should carry their official Brown University appointment letter.
• If on Brown-related travel, students are required to submit a Safety Plan to all Brown High Risk countries through the travel registration process in TravelSafe.

Preparations in Case of Emergency

• Make copies of all entry documents.
• Document and memorize key emergency contacts.
• Select a primary contact and furnish them with the contact details of family members, your attorney(s), and employer (in case you’re restricted to one phone call.)
• Consider arranging legal representation in advance.
• All Local 6516 union members have access to dedicated immigration and labor attorneys

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Actionable Recommendations for Data & social media Safety When Crossing the US Border

Please note, this advice is aimed at those of higher risk.

Essential Device Security – Before Crossing

• Use strong encryption on all devices (phones, laptops, external drives) where possible
• Disable biometric unlocking (face/fingerprint) and use strong passwords (13+ characters)
• Consider using a “clean” device when traveling or at high-risk events
• Enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts that offer it
• Back-up essential data to encrypted storage before travel, remove it from your traveling devices, and then restore it when needed

Data Minimization – Before Crossing

• Travel with minimal sensitive data, photos, and files to reduce risk exposure
• Remove unnecessary union and organizing materials from devices before travel
• Consider using temporary email accounts for travel periods
• Use cloud storage services to access only what you need during travel
• Avoid accessing union or political organizing platforms directly while traveling

Social Media & Communication Safety – Before Crossing

• Audit your public social media presence before travel; temporarily deactivate if necessary
• Use encrypted messaging apps (Signal with disappearing messages) for sensitive communications
• Never use employer-provided devices or networks for union or political activities
• Remove sensitive apps from devices before travel if possible
• Consider logging out of browsers and apps that give you access to online content, and removing saved login credentials

Network Security – Before Crossing

• Beware of untrusted networks including hotel WiFi and public hotspots
• Consider using a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic when accessing sensitive information*
• Consider using Tor Browser in high-risk situations where anonymity is needed
• Avoid using public workstations or shared computers whenever possible

* Please note that some countries ban VPNs (Belarus, China, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Oman, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, etc.). Please use discretion.

During Border Crossing

• Power off devices completely before crossing borders (not sleep mode) – if you must turn them on, ensure that they are in airplane mode, with both wifi and bluetooth disabled, before crossing a border checkpoint
• Know your legal rights regarding device searches at borders
• Have emergency contact information written down separately from devices
• Be aware that border agents may require device access with limited legal recourse

Post-Border Security

• Change all passwords used during travel once you return
• Wipe and restore devices used in high-risk areas before reconnecting to home networks
• Check devices for signs of tampering or unauthorized access
• Report any lost or stolen devices immediately to appropriate contacts

For detailed notes on data security and social media safety see here.

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We are here to support you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

In Solidarity,

The Local 6516 International Committee and Staff