The Trump administration is considering adding another 36 countries to the State Department's cable list of full and partial bans on entry into the United States, which Reuters details saw. Additional countries will be a major extension of Trump's travel ban imposed on Monday, June 9th.
36 countries face potential travel bans
“The department has identified concerns from 36 countries that could be recommended for a full or partial suspension of entries if they do not meet the benchmarks or requirements established within 60 days,” Cable said. He also noted that countries could take advantage of their positions if they chose to accept individuals from the US deported.
The new cable was first reported by the Washington Post on Saturday, June 14th.
Trump announced the first ban in his declaration on Wednesday, June 4th.
What are the criteria for a travel ban?
But now, the administration wants to target 30 more countries for a variety of reasons, including failing to issue credible identity documents, “suspecting security” of passports in some countries, widespread government corruption, failed cooperation in deportation of the US, and citizens who regularly pass US visas. Cable also mentioned allegations of terrorism, anti-Semitism and anti-American activities.
The latter three crimes were flashpoints just before the first list of 12 countries was released. It launched a terrorist attack targeting a group of pro-Israel demonstrators by Egyptian citizens living in Colorado on a valid visa.
Signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Cables revealed that countries on the expansion list do not need to check each box to qualify for a full or partial travel ban.
In a statement, a senior State Department official said, “We are constantly reassessing our policies to ensure that Americans and foreigners follow our laws,” adding that “The Department of State is committed to protecting our country and its citizens by supporting the highest standards of national security and public safety through the visa process.”
The 36 countries on the updated list include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote de Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egyptian, Gambia, Ghana, Ghana, Gainastan Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, St. Kitz and Nevis, St. Lucia, San Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tubal, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Enlarge the first dozen
Previously, only 12 countries faced a complete or partial ban. Includes: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela.
When these first 12 countries were announced, the administration opened up several exemptions. For example, those who already have a visa in the US will not be removed, including people from Afghanistan regarding special immigration visas.
Last year, the State Department issued around 170,000 visas to people from 12 listed countries, according to The New York Times. Most of them were non-immigrant visitor visas for tourism, business or research.
At the time of the initial travel ban earlier this month, D-Wash MP Pramila Jayapal said in a statement, “This discriminatory policy restricting discriminatory immigration not only faces what our country is supposed to be, but only harms our economy and communities that rely on the contributions of people coming from this wider country.”
