The United States is considering restricting entry to citizens of an additional 36 countries in what would be a significant expansion of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration early this month, according to a State Department memo reviewed by The Washington Post.
Among the new list of countries that could face visa bans or other restrictions are 25 African nations, including significant U.S. partners such as Egypt and Djibouti, plus countries in the Caribbean, Central Asia and several Pacific Island nations.
A State Department spokesperson said the agency would not comment on internal deliberations or communications. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Such a move would mark another escalation in the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on immigration.
The memo, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to U.S. 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.
It set a deadline of 8 a.m. Wednesday for them to provide an initial action plan for meeting the requirements.
