US Considers Expanding Travel Ban to 36 More Countries

The United States is considering expanding its travel ban to include 36 additional countries, according to an internal State Department memo. The memo, obtained by The Washington Post, proposes adding 25 African nations, four Caribbean nations, three Asian nations, three Pacific Island nations, and one Middle Eastern nation to the list of countries facing visa restrictions. The proposed ban comes on top of an existing travel ban on 19 countries, which was implemented in June 2025. The memo outlines several criteria for the proposed bans, including the inability to issue reliable identity documents, high rates of visa overstays, and concerns over citizenship-by-investment programs. "This would mark a major escalation of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown," said Adam Taylor, the Washington Post reporter who reviewed the memo. The memo gives the targeted countries 60 days to meet new security and vetting benchmarks. Failure to comply could result in full or partial visa bans as early as this summer. The US is demanding action plans from the named governments. A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the memo, stating that it is an internal document. The proposed expansion of the travel ban has sparked considerable debate and concern among international relations experts and immigration advocates.