The State Department has reportedly cited weak identity document systems, government fraud, and overstays as reasons for their inclusion
The United States plans to expand its controversial travel restrictions to citizens from 36 additional countries, including 25 African nations, The Washington Post reported over the weekend, citing an internal State Department memo.
The move would expand restrictions announced earlier this month by US President Donald Trump, who framed the policy as a necessary step to enhance national security and prevent potential threats.
The proposed entry ban could affect a wide geographic swath of the African continent, including nations which have maintained longstanding diplomatic and economic ties with Washington. West African countries named in the draft list include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal.
The list includes the Central African nations of Cameroon, Gabon, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are reportedly included, along with the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe. The East African countries of Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda are included, as well as Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in Southern Africa. Mauritania, located in Northwest Africa, and Egypt, a key US ally in North Africa, are also reportedly named.
Non-African states flagged for restrictions include Antigua and Barbuda, Bhutan, Cambodia, Dominica, Kyrgyzstan, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Syria, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
The alleged document cites several reasons for the proposed bans. Some countries are said to have “no competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” while others reportedly suffer from “widespread government fraud.” It also claims that several have “large numbers” of citizens who have overstayed their visas in the US.
According to The Washington Post, “the memo, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to US diplomats who work with the countries, said the governments of listed nations were being given 60 days to meet new benchmarks and requirements established by the State Department.”
Earlier, on June 4, President Trump signed an executive order blacklisting nationals of 12 countries, including Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. He cited concerns over terrorism, lack of security cooperation, visa overstays, and the refusal of some governments to accept deported nationals.
In retaliation, Chad suspended visa issuance to American citizens, while some of its neighbors said they would pursue dialogue with Washington to address the issues raised.
