Trump considering adding another 36 countries to his no travel list including African and Caribbean nations: report
The Trump administration is considering implementing travel restrictions to 36 more countries, including some major U.S. partners such as Egypt and Djibouti, according to an internal memo seen by the Washington Post.
The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to U.S. diplomats on Saturday, says the governments of the listed nations have 60 days to meet new requirements established by the State Department.
The State Department alleged that the countries mentioned have not met various benchmarks, such as 'no competent or cooperative central government authority' to provide reliable identity documents or a large number of citizens who have violated the terms of their visas.
The list of countries, which could face visa restrictions, travel bans, or other restrictions, includes 25 African countries: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivorie, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Several Caribbean nations are on the list as well: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.
Four countries in Asia: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Syria; and three countries in Oceania: Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu
Those countries have until Wednesday at 8 a.m. to provide the State Department with an initial plan of action to meet the new requirements.
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Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Trump administration weighs adding 36 countries to travel ban, memo says
WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is considering significantly expanding its travel ban by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters. Earlier this month, the Republican president signed a proclamation that banned the entry of citizens from 12 countries, saying the move was needed to protect the United States against "foreign terrorists" and other national security threats. The directive was part of an immigration crackdown Trump launched this year at the start of his second term, which has included the deportation to El Salvador of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members, as well as efforts to deny enrollments of some foreign students from U.S. universities and deport others. In an internal diplomatic cable signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department outlined a dozen concerns about the countries in question and sought corrective action. "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," the cable sent out over the weekend said. The cable was first reported by the Washington Post. Among the concerns the State Department raised was the lack of a competent or cooperative government by some of the countries mentioned to produce reliable identity documents, the cable said. Another was "questionable security" of that country's passport. Some countries, the cable said, were not cooperative in facilitating the removal of its nationals from the United States who were ordered to be removed. Some countries were overstaying the U.S. visas their citizens were being granted. Other reasons for concern were the nationals of the country were involved in acts of terrorism in the United States, or antisemitic and anti-American activity. The cable noted that not all of these concerns pertained to every country listed. The countries that could face a full or a partial ban if they do not address these concerns within the next 60 days are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote 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. That would be a significant expansion of the ban that came into effect earlier this month. The countries affected were Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - has also been partially restricted. During his first in office, Trump announced a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Trump threatens to expand travel ban list in coming months
The Trump administration is considering travel restrictions for 36 more countries, including major U.S. partners such as Egypt and Djibouti, according to an internal memo. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a memo that said listed nations had 60 days to meet new State Department requirements. The list includes 25 African countries, several Caribbean nations, four Asian countries, and three countries in Oceania. Countries have until Wednesday to provide an initial action plan to the State Department to meet the new requirements. This action follows Trump 's revival of his first-term travel ban and a full ban on entry from 12 countries, with restrictions on seven others, as part of his anti-immigration agenda.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
British man weighs desert escape from Israel amid Iranian missile strikes
A British grandfather stranded in Jerusalem said he is weighing up a bus escape through the Negev desert to flee Iranian missile fire. James Eden, 72, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, flew to Israel last Monday for a six-day Christian pilgrimage. But he now finds himself trapped in a near-deserted city, with missiles flying overhead and outbound flights suspended. It comes as the Foreign Office updated its guidance to advise against all travel to Israel, warning the situation could 'deteriorate further, quickly and without warning'. Mr Eden told the PA news agency: 'They (the FCDO) rang me and said there wasn't a lot they could do. 'They can't put on any planes because the airspace is shut – all they can do is send out alerts and keep track of us.' When the grandfather-of-four asked about crossing the border, officials told him he could travel to Egypt at his own risk. 'They said if I care to, I can' he said. 'They're not going to stop me – but they're not going to help me get out of Egypt either.' The journey would mean a four-hour bus ride through the Negev desert to Eilat, before crossing into Egypt and trying to fly home from Sharm El Sheikh. Temperatures in the region are expected to reach up to 35C this week. 'I've done that route before, 20 years ago, so I know it,' Mr Eden said. 'But once you step into Egypt, who knows what happens then? It's a risk.' Mr Eden, a retired accountant, had been travelling with friend Miki Mogyorossy, 49, from London, and spent the early part of the trip visiting religious sites. But on their third night, they were jolted awake by sirens warning of incoming missiles, forcing them to shelter in a stairwell. Since then, he said, Jerusalem has felt 'like a ghost town'. Now relocated to a hotel near the Old City walls, Mr Eden said the embassy has kept in touch but can offer little more than updates. 'They said, 'We've got your name, we know you're there – keep us updated'. But there's not much else,' he said. 'I've got two weeks of medication with me. I was enjoying myself, but now I just want to go home.' A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We're in contact with a British man in Israel. 'The situation is fast-moving, and we urge British nationals in the region to monitor updates to FCDO Travel Advice. 'We stand ready to support British nationals 24/7.'
