Egypt Daily News – The Washington Post has reported that the Trump administration is considering a significant expansion of its travel ban by adding 36 new countries whose citizens could face restrictions or outright bans on entering the United States. Among the countries under consideration is Egypt, alongside 25 other African nations, as well as countries from the Caribbean, Central Asia, and several Pacific island states.
An internal State Department memo obtained by the newspaper reveals that the targeted countries have been given a 60-day deadline to meet specific benchmarks and requirements set by the U.S. government. Failure to comply could result in full or partial travel bans. The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and distributed to U.S. diplomats working with these countries, required the governments to submit an initial action plan by a set deadline.
The reasons cited for the potential restrictions vary. Some countries were noted for lacking “competent or cooperative central government authority” capable of issuing reliable identity or civil documents. Others were flagged for widespread government fraud or for having large numbers of citizens who overstayed their U.S. visas. Additional concerns included policies allowing citizenship by investment without residency requirements and reports of antisemitic or anti-American activities by individuals from these nations on U.S. soil.
The memo also suggested that countries willing to accept the return of third-country nationals removed from the U.S. or enter into “safe third country” agreements might have some concerns alleviated.
The list of countries facing scrutiny includes Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, the 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, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on internal deliberations, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The potential expansion represents a further escalation in the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to immigration and border security, building on a travel ban announced earlier this month.
It remains unclear when the proposed travel restrictions would be enforced if the targeted countries fail to meet the U.S. government’s requirements within the stipulated timeline.
