The Trump administration is moving to expand its controversial travel restrictions to 36 additional countries, according to a classified State Department cable obtained by reporters.
If implemented, the expansion would more than double the number of countries subject to full or partial bans on entry into the United States, with a heavy focus on nations in Africa and the Caribbean.
The internal directive, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was issued over the weekend and delivered to U.S. embassies worldwide.
It orders diplomats to notify the targeted countries and request they submit initial action plans by 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The plans must outline how each country intends to meet new U.S. requirements related to security screening and identity verification.
Of the 36 nations under review, 25 are in Africa, including Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.
Caribbean countries such as Saint Lucia, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis are also named, along with others like Syria, Bhutan, Vanuatu, and Tonga.
“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 memo states.
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The cable cites a range of concerns, including widespread fraud in identity documents, failure to accept deported nationals, and a lack of cooperation from central governments.
It also flags visa overstays and alleged abuse of citizenship-for-investment programs.
The memo notes some countries have nationals accused of “antisemitic and anti-American activity in the United States,” though it does not provide specifics.
The proposed move follows a June 4 proclamation by President Trump banning entry from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, and Somalia, and placing restrictions on seven others.
The expanded list would significantly deepen the administration’s crackdown on immigration and border control in the name of national security.
“This administration continues to single out African and Caribbean countries in a way that is deeply troubling,” said a Democratic congressional aide reacting to the memo.
Critics say the proposed expansion echoes Trump’s earlier travel bans, which disproportionately targeted Muslim-majority and developing nations.
Civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers argue the new list shows a clear bias against the Global South and risks undermining U.S. relations with strategic partners.
During his first term, Trump’s travel ban sparked widespread protests and was challenged in court before the U.S. Supreme Court upheld it in 2018.
Now in his second term, the president has made clear he intends to revive and broaden the policy.
“We’re making the ban bigger than before,” Trump said recently at a campaign rally. The White House has not commented publicly on the leaked directive.
The State Department, when pressed by Reuters and The Washington Post, declined to discuss the memo, saying only that it “routinely reevaluates policies to ensure Americans are safe and foreign nationals comply with U.S. law.”
Countries on the list have been given 60 days to comply with the new standards or face consequences. An initial response is required within days.
If they fail to act, their citizens could soon be blocked from entering the United States, a decision likely to spark legal challenges and further inflame global debate over U.S. immigration policy.
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