USA Travel Ban: Ghana and 24 African Nations among 36 Countries potentially facing new Visa restrictions

Washington D.C., USA – June 15, 2025 – The Trump administration is reportedly considering a significant expansion of its controversial travel ban policy, potentially imposing new visa restrictions on citizens from 36 countries worldwide. This extensive list includes Ghana and 24 other African nations, signaling a dramatic escalation of U.S. immigration enforcement measures.

According to a report by The Washington Post, an internal State Department memo, personally signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was circulated to U.S. diplomatic posts on Saturday, June 14, 2025. This memo provides the identified countries a mere 60-day window to meet stringent security and documentation standards. Failure to comply within this timeframe could result in severe entry restrictions for their citizens.

The internal document outlines a range of concerns driving these potential restrictions. These include issues such as the unreliability of civil documents issued by some nations, a perceived lack of cooperation with U.S. immigration enforcement efforts, and notably high rates of visa overstays by their nationals. The memo also references instances where countries grant citizenship through monetary investment programs that do not require genuine residency, raising concerns about identity verification and security. Furthermore, there are vague mentions of “antisemitic and anti-American activity” by individuals from some of the listed nations, though it’s emphasized that not all criteria apply to every country.

However, the memo also offers a potential reprieve: countries that demonstrate a willingness to repatriate their nationals who have been ordered removed from the U.S., or agree to “safe third country” asylum deals, may see these proposed restrictions waived.

The extensive list of countries under review for these new visa restrictions is predominantly African. It includes: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In addition to these 25 African nations, the list also encompasses countries from Central Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

This latest development follows closely on the heels of President Trump’s proclamation on June 4, which reinstated a full travel ban on travelers from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Libya, and Iran. That proclamation also imposed partial restrictions on citizens from eight other nations.

The underlying policy framework for these expanded restrictions originates from an executive order signed by President Trump on Inauguration Day of his current term. This order directed U.S. agencies to identify countries deemed to have inadequate vetting and screening processes for their citizens seeking entry into the United States.

This move stands in stark contrast to the previous Biden administration, which had notably revoked similar bans in 2021, labeling them as discriminatory. However, President Trump campaigned explicitly on a promise to revive and expand these travel restrictions.

When approached for comment, a State Department spokesperson declined to elaborate on the memo, citing ongoing internal deliberations. The White House has yet to issue a response regarding this significant policy consideration.

Affected governments are now under pressure to engage swiftly with U.S. diplomats and are expected to submit comprehensive compliance plans by 8:00 AM on Wednesday. While the deadline for these plans is set, a specific implementation date for any new restrictions has not yet been announced. The proposed expansion is likely to ignite further debate and potential legal challenges, echoing the controversies surrounding previous travel bans.

The Trump administration is considering restricting entry to citizens of an additional 36 countries, in what would be a significant expansion of the travel ban announced early this month, according to a State Department memo. https://t.co/P42ULxut01

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 14, 2025

Source: http://thepressradio.com