The Trump administration is preparing to widen its controversial travel restrictions, and this time it’s targeting dozens of nations—many of them in Africa and the Caribbean.
An internal State Department memo shows the U.S. may ban citizens from 36 additional countries, unless their governments meet new security and immigration requirements within 60 days. That list includes Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Egypt, Senegal, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Uganda, and more.
These countries are being flagged for issues ranging from weak passport security to refusing to accept deported nationals. Some were also cited for terrorism concerns or anti-American activity—though not every country on the list had the same problems.
The memo, signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is part of Trump’s larger immigration crackdown during his second term. Earlier this month, travel was already banned from 12 countries, including Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
If this expansion moves forward, it would represent one of the largest travel restrictions in U.S. history, potentially impacting millions of people hoping to visit, study, or reunite with family in the U.S.
While the Trump administration says it’s about keeping Americans safe, critics argue that this is another move rooted in discrimination, especially given how many African and majority-Black countries are on the list.
More than just policy, it’s a major message: the doors to America may soon be closing for many across Africa and the islands.
