WASHINGTON. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a major expansion of its travel ban, potentially prohibiting citizens from 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable reviewed by Reuters.
This move follows a proclamation signed by Trump earlier this month that banned the entry of citizens from 12 countries. The administration said the new restrictions were necessary to protect the U.S. from foreign terrorists and national security threats.
The plan is part of a broader immigration crackdown in Trump’s second term, which has included the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador over alleged gang affiliations, as well as stricter policies on foreign student enrollments and deportations.
A diplomatic cable signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined concerns with the 36 countries under review and called for immediate 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 stated.
The memo, first reported by The Washington Post, cited reasons such as unreliable identity documentation, insecure passport systems, lack of cooperation in accepting deported nationals, overstaying of U.S. visas, and ties to terrorism or anti-American activities.
However, the document clarified that not all concerns applied to every country listed.
“We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws,” said a senior State Department official, who declined to comment on the internal discussions. “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.”
Countries that could face full or partial entry bans if issues are not addressed within 60 days 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, Ghana, 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 significantly expand the travel restrictions imposed earlier this month on citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Partial restrictions also remain in place for travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
During his first term, Trump enacted a controversial travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, a policy that underwent several revisions before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Edgaroo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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