Zimbabwe Among 36 Countries at Risk of New US Travel Ban
Zimbabwe is one of 36 countries that could soon face new U.S. travel restrictions, as the Trump administration pushes ahead with plans to expand its immigration ban.
According to a State Department memo seen by The Washington Post, the targeted countries have been given 60 days to tighten their security protocols or face entry bans into the United States.
Why Zimbabwe Faces a US Travel Ban?
The memo, signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and circulated to diplomats, accuses the countries of security lapses. These include things like poor civil documentation, government fraud, and high rates of visa overstays.
Some countries were also flagged for allowing citizenship-for-investment schemes or for nationals allegedly involved in anti-American or antisemitic activity.
Out of the 36 countries named, 25 are in Africa, including Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe. Others on the list include nations from the Caribbean, Central Asia, and the Pacific—such as Bhutan, Cambodia, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
No exact date was given for when the new restrictions might come into effect, but the memo indicates that partial or full travel bans will be imposed if the countries don’t comply within the 60-day window.
Also read: Donald Trump Bans 12 Countries Including African Nations From Travelling to US: Here’s the Full List
Biden Reversed It, But Trump Is Bringing It Back
This latest move is a dramatic expansion of the U.S. travel ban imposed by Trump on June 4. The ban had already blacklisted 13 countries, including Iran, Libya, and Somalia. Seven other countries faced partial restrictions.
Civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers have long criticised these bans, arguing that they disproportionately target Muslim-majority and African countries. Trump’s first travel ban in 2017 led to massive protests and lawsuits, though it was ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
President Joe Biden had repealed the ban in 2021, but Trump has made its revival a core part of his 2025 campaign. On Inauguration Day 2025, the White House ordered all federal agencies to re-evaluate global security vetting and recommend bans where systems were found to be weak.
Neither the State Department nor the White House commented on the leaked memo.
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