Trump administration considers travel ban targeting 36 nations, including 25 in Africa
The United States administration under President Donald Trump is considering expanding its travel ban to include 36 additional countries, with 25 in Africa, according to a confidential U.S. State Department memo obtained by The Washington Post.
Signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday, the memo sets a 60-day deadline for these nations to meet U.S. security benchmarks or face full or partial visa restrictions.
African countries targeted include key U.S. allies including Egypt, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, alongside others such as Somalia. The list also extends to nations in Central Asia (e.g., Kyrgyzstan), the Caribbean, the Pacific (e.g., Vanuatu), and others like Syria and Cambodia.
The memo cites issues such as unreliable identity documents, widespread fraud in civil records, high visa overstay rates, citizenship-by-investment programs, and alleged “antisemitic and anti-American activity” in the U.S. as reasons for potential bans.
Affected countries have until Wednesday, 8 a.m. (1200 GMT), to submit action plans to avoid sanctions. Compliance could involve accepting deported third-country nationals or signing “safe third country” agreements.
This proposal follows a June 4 presidential proclamation restricting travel from 13 countries, including Afghanistan and Iran, and partially limiting seven others. The new plan would significantly escalate U.S. immigration restrictions.
On Inauguration Day, Trump issued an executive order targeting countries with “deficient vetting and screening,” signaling this move.
The State Department declined to comment, and the White House has not responded to inquiries. Democrats and civil rights groups condemned the proposal, comparing it to Trump’s earlier travel bans, which they called discriminatory, particularly for targeting many African and Caribbean nations.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden had revoked those bans, but Trump pledged to reinstate and expand them.
(With input from wires)
