The Trump administration is considering a dramatic expansion of its travel ban policy, which would impose entry restrictions on citizens from 36 additional countries, primarily in Africa and the Caribbean, according to a State Department memo reviewed by The Washington Post.
The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sets a 60-day deadline for these nations to meet new security and documentation requirements. Countries that do not comply risk facing full or partial entry bans to the United States.
This move follows a presidential proclamation signed earlier this month that blocked entry or imposed partial restrictions from 19 nations, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela, according to Reuters. That order went into effect on June 9.
Now, the administration’s internal memo reveals a larger list of countries under review. Among them are 25 African nations — Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Caribbean countries on the list include Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia. The list also includes countries in Central Asia and the Pacific, such as Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
While the White House has not officially commented on the deliberations, the State Department’s guidance to diplomats working with these nations signals serious intent. The memo instructs governments to submit an initial plan by Wednesday, June 18 at 8 a.m. to show how they will meet the outlined standards, which include the ability to produce reliable identity documents and reduce visa overstay rates.
Some of the flagged issues include “widespread government fraud,” the lack of a “competent or cooperative central government” and the availability of citizenship through financial investment without residency, according to The Washington Post. The memo also cited reports of “antisemitic and anti-American activity” by individuals from these nations as factors in the decision-making process.
Critics say the administration’s repeated focus on countries with large Black and brown populations mirrors the same patterns seen in Trump’s first term, when travel bans disproportionately affected Muslim-majority and African nations. While the Biden administration later overturned that ban, Trump has made clear on his campaign trail that he plans to bring it back “bigger than before,” the outlet reported.
Although the timing and details of when the new restrictions could potentially take effect remain unclear, there is growing concern among immigrant communities, global partners, and civil rights organizations that view this as yet another barrier rooted more in politics than in policy.