Trump administration weighs expanding U.S. travel ban to 36 more countries

The Trump administration is preparing to dramatically widen its immigration crackdown, with plans to ban entry to citizens from 36 more countries unless security and cooperation standards are met within 60 days, according to an internal State Department cable.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a significant expansion of its travel restrictions, potentially blocking entry to citizens from 36 additional countries. This move, detailed in an internal diplomatic cable obtained by Reuters, would mark a further tightening of immigration policies under Trump’s second-term agenda.

Earlier this month, the president signed a proclamation barring the entry of citizens from 12 countries, citing national security concerns and the need to protect the United States from “foreign terrorists.” The latest internal cable, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outlines a list of countries identified as failing to meet certain security and cooperation benchmarks. These nations have been given 60 days to comply with U.S. requirements or risk facing full or partial bans on entry.

The cable highlights a range of concerns, including the issuance of unreliable identity documents, weak cooperation with U.S. deportation processes, questionable passport security, high rates of visa overstays, and, in some cases, the involvement of nationals in acts of terrorism or anti-American activities. However, it also notes that not all issues apply uniformly to each country listed.

If enforced, the expanded restrictions would affect countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Caribbean, including Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Syria, and Uganda, among others. This would build upon the initial ban enacted earlier this month targeting Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Additionally, the United States has already imposed partial travel restrictions on seven other nations: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

President Trump’s approach echoes the controversial travel ban implemented during his first term, which initially targeted several Muslim-majority countries and was eventually upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 after multiple legal challenges.

The State Department has not publicly commented on the latest cable or the list of countries under review.

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