Trump could add 36 more countries, including Egypt, to travel ban list

This was reported by The Washington Post, based on a memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to US diplomats working with these countries.

The US government has raised various concerns with these countries and citizens could face a full or a partial ban if they do not address these issues within the next 60 days.

Trump considers new bans

According to Reuters, the internal diplomatic cable said: “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 36 countries, which include Egypt, Ghana and Nigeria, are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The Post report 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 AM Wednesday for them to provide an initial action plan for meeting the requirements.

“The memo identified varied benchmarks that, in the administration’s estimation, these countries were failing to meet. Some countries had “no competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” or they suffered from “widespread government fraud”.

“Others had large numbers of citizens who overstayed their visas in the United States.”

The Washington Post reached out to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while a State Department spokesperson said the agency would not comment on internal deliberations or communications.

The State Department spokesperson added: “We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws. 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.”

Earlier this month, President Trump signed a proclamation that banned the entry of citizens from 12 countries. He also imposed new restrictions on seven other countries.

At the time, Trump said: “The recent terror attack in Boulder has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas. We don’t want them.”

The cable noted that not all of these concerns pertained to every country listed.