The U.S. government is preparing to expand its travel restrictions to include citizens from 36 additional countries, according to a classified State Department cable obtained by Reuters. The document, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and circulated on June 14, sets a 60-day deadline for affected nations to comply with strict security requirements or face full or partial entry bans into the United States.
The potential expansion follows earlier restrictions announced in June, which banned or limited travel from 19 countries, including Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Cuba, and Venezuela. The new list targets a broad range of nations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
Among the countries identified are Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Bhutan, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Vanuatu. These nations were flagged for deficiencies in areas such as passport and identity verification, cooperation on deportations, and security risks, including links to terrorism or extremist activities.
According to the cable, embassies have been instructed to inform host governments and seek immediate commitments to improve travel documentation, reduce visa overstays, and assist with the return of nationals ordered removed from the U.S. Nations that do not act by mid-August risk facing the same visa restrictions as those under the earlier expanded travel ban.
The new restrictions, if enacted, would be imposed under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a legal mechanism that grants the president broad authority to suspend entry of certain groups if deemed detrimental to national interest. The provision has been previously upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
While U.S. officials argue that the measures are necessary for national security, the policy is already drawing criticism from rights groups and foreign governments who see the move as discriminatory and politically motivated. Some of the countries on the list are considered U.S. allies or key partners in regional counterterrorism efforts.
Officials have emphasized that the action is not final and that nations still have time to respond with corrective measures before enforcement begins.
