Zimbabwe is among 36 countries facing a potential ban on travel to the United States. The alleged reasons include identity documentation fraud and visa violations by their citizens.
A memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio was sent to US diplomats on Saturday, outlining new rules. Listed countries have 60 days to comply with these new State Department rules.
According to the memo, some countries failed to meet standards, lacked “competent or cooperative central government authority” for trusted documents, or had “a large number of citizens who have violated the terms of their visas.”
Agreeing to take back third-country nationals deported from the US might ease concerns for listed countries.
There are 25 African countries affected namely, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
There are four countries from the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia; four countries from Asia, namely Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Syria; and three countries from Oceania, that is, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
These countries must submit a preliminary plan to the State Department by 8 AM on Wednesday.
The memo follows the reinstatement of Trump’s first-term travel ban a week prior. These moves are part of Trump’s broader immigration plan, which includes mass deportations, visa cancellations, and ending immigrant protections.
It is not yet clear if the new travel limits will commence immediately after the initial deadline.
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