The Trump administration is preparing to expand its controversial travel ban to include 36 more countries, among them Ghana and 24 other African nations, according to a leaked State Department memo reviewed by The Washington Post.
The internal document, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outlines sweeping visa restrictions targeting nations that allegedly fail to meet new U.S. standards on identity verification, overstay rates, and immigration cooperation. The affected countries now face a 60-day deadline to comply with new benchmarks—or face partial or full entry bans.
The memo cites a range of concerns, from weak civil documentation systems and widespread government fraud, to high rates of U.S. visa overstays and the sale of citizenship without residency requirements. Some countries were also cited for tolerating “anti-American” or “antisemitic” activities among their nationals in the U.S.
Among the 36 countries under scrutiny are:
Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Angola, Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, South Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritania, Liberia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and several Caribbean, Pacific, and Central Asian states.
The memo, distributed to U.S. diplomatic missions worldwide, gives these countries until 8 a.m. Wednesday to submit initial action plans detailing how they will meet the new requirements. Failure to do so may result in suspension of visas or full travel bans.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment, saying the agency does not discuss internal communications. The White House also did not immediately respond.
If enforced, the policy would mark a sharp escalation in Trump’s broader crackdown on immigration. Critics, including many Democrats and civil rights groups, have labeled the proposal xenophobic and discriminatory, citing similarities to Trump’s first-term “Muslim ban” and the high number of African and Caribbean nations targeted.
During his first presidency, Trump faced heavy backlash for banning travel from several Muslim-majority and African countries, a policy later overturned by the Biden administration. However, Trump has repeatedly promised to reinstate and expand travel restrictions if re-elected, calling them essential for national security.
The potential ban is already sparking anxiety in diplomatic and immigrant communities. Ghanaian officials have yet to issue an official response, though the West African nation has been a longstanding U.S. ally and recipient of bilateral aid.
As the 60-day countdown begins, global attention turns to how the affected nations will respond—and whether they can meet the sweeping conditions imposed by the U.S. administration.
