POLITICS
36 Countries on the Brink of a New Travel Ban
Washington, USASun Jun 15 2025
The Trump administration is thinking about making its travel ban even bigger. They might add 36 more countries to the list. This news comes from a memo that was seen by The Washington Post. The memo was sent by the State Department and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It was sent to U. S. diplomats in the countries that might be affected.
The memo lists 25 African countries, including Egypt and Uganda. It also includes countries from Central Asia, the Pacific, and the Caribbean. The countries have 60 days to meet new rules set by the U. S. If they don't, they could be added to the travel ban list. The countries had until Wednesday morning to send their plans to meet these rules.
The U. S. has some concerns about these countries. Some issues include government fraud, people overstaying their visas, and problems with identity documents. Another concern is that some citizens from these countries have been involved in anti-Semitic and anti-American activities in the U. S. Countries can improve their standing if they agree to take in people who have been removed from the U. S.
The memo was sent out just a couple of weeks after Trump made the travel ban stricter. The original ban affects people from 11 countries. It went into effect in June. People from these countries can't enter the U. S. Some other countries face partial travel restrictions.
The countries that might be added to the ban include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, 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.
The U. S. has been known to use travel bans as a way to control immigration. This is not the first time the travel ban has been expanded. It's important to note that travel bans can have big effects on people and economies. They can also affect how other countries see the U. S.
The U. S. has been known to use travel bans as a way to control immigration. This is not the first time the travel ban has been expanded. It's important to note that travel bans can have big effects on people and economies. They can also affect how other countries see the U. S.
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questions
Are there any secret agreements between the U.S. and these countries that would benefit from the ban?
What support will the U.S. provide to help these countries meet the new benchmarks?
Is the expansion of the travel ban a strategic move to divert attention from domestic issues?
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