OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:45 PM – Sunday, June 15, 2025
The Trump administration is currently considering expanding its travel restrictions against citizens of 36 countries, effectively banning them from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.
The memo, signed off on by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, provides the governments of listed nations 60 days to meet new requirements or face outright travel bans into the United States.
“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 sent out Saturday stated.
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The State Department explained that some of the included nations have “no competent or cooperative central government authority” to oversee the verification of identifying documents.
The cable also announced that these nations could potentially see restrictions ease up if they were willing to accept third-country nationals ordered to be deported from the United States.
25 nations in Africa were listed as countries potentially facing visa restrictions or travel bans, including: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are also at risk of facing travel and visa restrictions into the United States.
Another reason cited for potential travel restrictions is due to some of the listed nations refusing to cooperate in facilitating the deportation of its nationals from the United States.
The news follows after President Donald Trump announced the travel ban from 12 nations in order to protect the United States against “foreign terrorists.”
“We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws,” stated a senior State Department official speaking with Reuters.
“The Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the official added.
The countries previously banned are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, have also faced partial restrictions.
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