Trump administration mulls travel ban expansion to include 36 new countries

President Donald Trump’s administration is weighing a sweeping expansion of the US travel ban, potentially targeting citizens from 36 additional countries, according to a newly obtained State Department memo reviewed by The Washington Post.

The proposed list predominantly features nations in Africa — 25 in total — including countries like Egypt and Djibouti — and extends into the Caribbean, Central Asia, and several Pacific Island countries.

The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, instructs those governments to submit initial action plans within 60 days, outlining efforts to meet stringent US benchmarks on identity document integrity, visa overstay rates, and counterterrorism cooperation.

Should countries fail to comply, they could face visa bans or partial travel restrictions. The benchmarks focus on improved civil registration systems, passport security, and acceptance of deported individuals, including participation in “safe third country” agreements .

This potential move builds on the June 4 proclamation, which reinstated restrictions on 12 countries and partial limits on seven others, primarily affecting travellers from Africa and the Middle East.

Critics from Democratic lawmakers have labelled the proposal as xenophobic and politically motivated, citing its targeting of mostly African and Caribbean nations.

Rubio’s memo also highlights deep-seated US concerns: numerous countries lack central authority to issue reliable civil documentation; many exhibit high visa overstay rates; and others may be fostering environments conducive to terrorism or anti-American activities.

Administration officials have refrained from commenting on internal discussions, and no timetable has been set for enforcement should countries miss the 60-day deadline.

The countries that could face a full or partial ban if they fail to address these concerns within the next 60 days include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Ethiopia, 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 mark a major expansion of the ban implemented earlier this month, which initially targeted Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Additionally, entry restrictions have been partially imposed on individuals from seven other nations: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.