- U.S. Plans Major Visa Ban Expansion — 36 Countries Under Review, 25 from Africa
By MikoziBuzz International Desk – June 15, 2025
⸻
The United States government, under former President Donald Trump’s renewed influence in Republican policymaking, is considering expanding its controversial travel ban to include 36 additional countries, according to a leaked U.S. State Department memo. Shockingly, 25 of these nations are in Africa, signaling what critics are calling a targeted and potentially discriminatory policy shift.
The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, lays out a 60-day ultimatum for these countries to improve their cooperation with U.S. immigration and national security standards—or face visa restrictions that could impact thousands of travelers, students, and businesspeople.
⸻
🌍 Targeted Nations – Mostly African
The draft list includes a significant number of African countries, sparking concern across the continent. Countries reportedly under review include:
• Southern Africa: Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
• West Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Benin, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Senegal
• East Africa: Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Djibouti
• Central Africa: Cameroon, D.R. Congo
• Others: Angola, Mauritania, Niger, Cape Verde, The Gambia, São Tomé & Príncipe, South Sudan
Beyond Africa, several small nations in the Caribbean and Pacific are also listed, including Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
⸻
🛂 Why These Countries?
According to the memo, the selected countries have allegedly fallen short in one or more of the following areas:
• Providing reliable national ID documentation
• Tracking visa overstays effectively
• Cooperating on deportations and removals
• Preventing the spread of extremist or anti-American sentiment
The U.S. is especially pushing for countries to accept third-country nationals during deportations, a new pressure point that experts say reflects Washington’s growing frustration with immigration bottlenecks.
⸻
🔎 What Happens Next?
Each country on the list has 60 days to submit action plans and prove they meet U.S. standards. Failure to comply could result in:
• Suspension of new visa issuance
• Increased scrutiny for travelers
• Possible bans for certain visa categories (e.g., tourist, student, or business visas)
⸻
📢 Criticism and Concern
Human rights organizations, immigration advocates, and African political commentators are raising alarms. They argue that the move is a thinly veiled expansion of Trump’s original “Muslim ban”, this time targeting broader regions of the Global South.
“It’s discriminatory in nature and scope,” said one immigration rights advocate. “This policy disproportionately targets African and island nations, while offering vague criteria that can be easily manipulated.”
The Biden administration had previously rolled back many of Trump’s travel bans, but this new policy push appears to reflect a hardline resurgence among Republican policymakers, potentially signaling how U.S. immigration policy could shift if Trump wins re-election in November.
⸻
✈️ What It Means for Travelers
If enacted, the policy could disrupt travel plans for thousands, affect diaspora families, restrict business deals, and create hurdles for students seeking education in the U.S. Many affected countries—like Nigeria, Ghana, and Ethiopia—have strong diplomatic and economic ties with Washington, and tensions could rise if visa bans are imposed.
⸻
📌 In Summary
• 36 countries are under review for possible U.S. visa restrictions
• 25 of them are in Africa
• Countries have 60 days to comply with U.S. demands
• Policy faces heavy criticism as a targeted and xenophobic measure
⸻
MikoziBuzz will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates, especially for our readers in the affected African countries. Stay tuned.