The Trump administration is considering a significant expansion of its travel restrictions, potentially barring citizens from 36 more countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation banning entry from 12 countries, citing the need to protect the U.S. from “foreign terrorists” and other national security threats. The move marked a continuation of the Republican president’s hardline immigration policy.
The latest directive is part of a broader immigration crackdown launched at the start of Trump’s second term.
It includes the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan nationals suspected of gang affiliations to El Salvador and efforts to limit or revoke the enrollment of certain international students at U.S. universities.
The cable, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outlines a series of concerns about the countries under review and calls for them to take corrective action within 60 days.
“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 stated.
The Washington Post was the first to report on the document.
Among the issues cited were the failure of some governments to issue reliable identity documents, limited cooperation on deportation efforts, and concerns over passport security.
Some countries were also flagged for allowing citizens to overstay U.S. visas or for the involvement of their nationals in terrorism or anti-American and antisemitic activities.
The cable noted that not every concern applied to each country on the list.
A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to comment on the internal discussions but stated:
“We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws.”
“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 36 countries that could face full or partial entry bans if they fail to address the department’s concerns include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, and Ghana.
Also on the list are 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.
If enacted, this would mark a significant expansion of the current travel ban, which earlier this month targeted Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Partial travel restrictions are also in place for citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
During his first term, President Trump issued a controversial ban on travelers from several Muslim-majority countries. The policy faced legal challenges and underwent several revisions before being upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
