WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. administration under President Donald Trump is weighing a dramatic expansion of its travel restrictions, with the potential addition of 36 countries to its list of nations whose citizens may be barred from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable obtained by Reuters.
The classified diplomatic cable, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outlines growing concerns over the security and immigration compliance records of the listed countries.
It warns that unless these nations meet certain U.S. benchmarks within 60 days, they risk full or partial suspension of entry to 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 cable states.
The document—first reported by the Washington Post—highlights a range of issues, including the failure of some governments to issue secure and reliable identity documents, passport security vulnerabilities, and a lack of cooperation in accepting deported nationals from the U.S.
It also raises alarms over visa overstays and concerns about individuals from some of the countries being linked to terrorism or antisemitic and anti-American activity.
The Trump administration has defended the potential policy shift as a matter of national security.
“We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws,” a senior State Department official said, without addressing the internal deliberations directly.
If implemented, the expanded ban would build on an earlier proclamation signed this month that barred entry to citizens of 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, and Somalia—citing the need to guard against “foreign terrorists” and other threats.
The new list of 36 countries includes several African and Asian nations such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Cambodia, and Angola, as well as smaller island nations like Saint Lucia, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
These countries, the cable claims, fall short in one or more of the outlined security and compliance benchmarks.
This would mark a significant escalation in Trump’s second-term immigration agenda, which has already included deportations of Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador over alleged gang ties, and attempts to restrict international student visas.
The controversial move echoes Trump’s earlier efforts in 2017, when he issued a ban targeting travelers from several Muslim-majority nations—a policy that faced multiple legal challenges before being upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
The administration has maintained that the visa restrictions are not discriminatory but are instead aimed at countries that fail to meet U.S. security and immigration standards.
Countries affected by the original travel ban include Myanmar, Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, and Yemen. Additionally, seven more countries, including Venezuela, Cuba, and Sierra Leone, are currently under partial travel restrictions.
With 60 days on the clock, the newly named countries now face pressure to take corrective action—or risk being added to a growing list of nations facing entry bans into the United States.
