US considers expanding travel ban to 36 more countries

Arab Times

11 hours ago

WASHINGTON, June 15: The United States is considering a significant expansion of its travel ban to include citizens from 36 additional countries, according to a State Department memo obtained by The Washington Post. This development follows the Trump administration's earlier travel restrictions announced earlier this month.
The proposed expansion would primarily affect 25 African countries — including key U.S. allies such as Egypt and Djibouti — as well as several nations in the Caribbean, Central Asia, and the Pacific Islands. If implemented, the move would mark a substantial escalation in the administration's broader efforts to tighten immigration controls.
The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and dispatched to U.S. diplomats over the weekend, outlines new benchmarks that countries must meet within 60 days to avoid facing visa bans or other entry restrictions. It set a deadline of 8 a.m. Wednesday for the targeted governments to submit initial action plans showing how they will comply with the new requirements.
The document highlights several reasons for the proposed restrictions. These include the absence of reliable government institutions capable of issuing trustworthy identification documents, widespread corruption, and significant numbers of citizens who have overstayed their U.S. visas. Additionally, concerns were raised about countries offering citizenship in exchange for investment without residency requirements, and claims of 'antisemitic and anti-American activity' by nationals from some of the listed countries.
However, the memo also notes that if a country is willing to accept third-country nationals removed from the U.S. or enter into a 'safe third country' agreement, it could alleviate other concerns.
While the memo does not specify when the new travel restrictions would take effect, it suggests enforcement could follow shortly after the 60-day review period.
The list of countries under consideration includes: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
This would build upon the Trump administration's June 4 proclamation, which imposed full travel bans on countries including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Iran, and Yemen, and partial restrictions on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, and Venezuela, among others.
Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates, have condemned the travel bans as discriminatory, citing their disproportionate impact on African, Caribbean, and Muslim-majority nations. During Trump's first term, initial travel bans targeting several Muslim-majority countries led to widespread airport disruptions and legal battles before the Supreme Court upheld a revised version in 2018.
Though President Biden reversed the travel ban during his term, Trump has vowed to reinstate and expand it if reelected, promising a version 'bigger than before.' On Inauguration Day, a directive from the White House instructed federal agencies, including the State Department, to identify countries whose vetting and screening protocols were deemed insufficient to ensure national security.