The Trump administration is reportedly weighing a dramatic expansion of the list of countries included in its recently introduced travel ban. An internal State Department memo obtained by Reuters suggests that citizens from up to 36 more countries could soon face entry restrictions to the United States.
This potential move would build on the immigration policies already implemented by President Donald Trump earlier this month, when his administration issued a proclamation barring entry to travelers from 12 countries. The stated rationale was to protect the U.S. from threats posed by “foreign terrorists” and national security vulnerabilities.
The order is part of a broader immigration crackdown launched by Trump at the beginning of his second term, which has involved deporting hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador over suspected gang ties, along with efforts to block some foreign students from enrolling in U.S. universities and deporting others already studying in the country.
The outlet reported that an internal diplomatic wire, sent out over the weekend and signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, detailed a range of concerns related to the countries under review and called for corrective steps to address those issues.
"The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days," part of the cable reads.
Some of the problems cited in the document include what the departments considers to be incompetence on the part of foreign governments and uncooperative attitudes when it comes to deporting their own citizens who are ordered to leave the U.S. Other concerns include weak passport security, failure to provide reliable identity documents, citizens who overstays visas and, in some cases, alleged involvement of foreign nationals in terrorism, and antisemitic or anti-American actions. The memo clarifies that not all issues apply to every country on the list.
The countries potentially facing new restrictions include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, 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.
While they would not confirm any specifics, a senior State Department official told Reuters, "We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws," adding, "The Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process."
The move that’s reportedly under deliberation would greatly broaden the scope of the current travel ban, which went into effect earlier this month and already applies to travelers from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Seven additional nations were also hit with partial entry restrictions, including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
During this first presidential term, Trump enacted a controversial travel ban targeting seven Muslim-majority countries—a policy that was challenged repeatedly before being upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
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