The Trump administration is considering adding another 36 countries to the new travel ban, a potential move that would quadruple the number of countries initially named. An internal State Department memo reviewed by the Washington Post and Reuters shows 36 countries have been given a 60-day deadline to conform with certain new requirements. If they fail, they could face a full or partial entry ban. They include 25 African countries—US partners Egypt and Djibouti among them—several Caribbean nations, as well as Cambodia, Bhutan, South Sudan, and Syria.
The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to diplomats who work with the countries, requests action plans for meeting the requirements by 8am Wednesday. Countries are accused of "widespread government fraud," lacking a central government authority to produce reliable identity documents, having large numbers of citizens overstay US visas, and having citizens linked to "antisemitic and anti-American activity in the United States." The memo notes that a country that is willing to accept third-country nationals deported from the US could mitigate other issues.
"Such a move would mark another escalation in the Trump administration's aggressive crackdown on immigration," per the Post. A senior official tells Reuters, "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." (More Trump travel ban stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
