U.S. Might Extend Travel Restrictions: 36 More Countries on the Line
United States seeks to expand travel restrictions to an additional 36 nations
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Looks like the States is eyeing a wider net for its travel ban, with a handful of other nations in the sights. According to an internal memo from the State Department, confirmed by AFP, the U.S. may add another 36 countries to the list of restricted entries. Last week, folks from 12 countries were already denied entry, and a few more, including Cuba and Venezuela, faced partial restrictions.
Here's the lowdown on the existing ban: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen have a full ban on their citizens entering the U.S., while Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela face partial restrictions, still getting temporary work visas.
If this expansion goes through, countries like Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Cambodia, Syria, and more across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific could potentially feel the heat.
"The Washington Post" got a hold of the memo, signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, addressed to diplomats working with these countries.
If all the mentioned countries end up under the brunt of the ban, nearly one-fifth of the world's population would hail from a country barred from entering the U.S.
Sources: ntv.de, AFP
Fun Fact:
While it would affect nearly one-fifth of the world's population, the expanded travel ban would still exclude top tourist-sending countries like France, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.
Trivia:
Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe make up a significant portion of African countries that may face potential entry bans. Other countries include Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. These nations have been given 60 days to comply with U.S. demands on identity verification and visa enforcement to avoid the ban.
Community policy regarding travel restrictions might expand, potentially including countries involved in war-and-conflicts like Syria, for vocational training purposes, as stated in the internal memo from the State Department. Such expansion could affect policy-and-legislation in politics and general-news discussions as various African, Asian, Caribbean, and Pacific nations may face entry restrictions.
