By Humira Pamuk
Washington (Reuters) -Donald Trump’s administration is considering significantly expanding its travel limitations by potentially prohibiting citizens to 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to the State Department’s internal cable observed by Reuters.
Earlier this month, the Republican president signed a proclamation, which prohibited the entry of citizens from 12 countries, saying that this move was needed to protect the United States from “foreign terrorists” and other threats to national security.
The Directive was part of the immigration repression, which Trump started this year at the beginning of his second term, which included the deportation of Salvador by hundreds of Venezuelans, suspected of members of a gang
In an internal diplomatic cable, signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department outlined a dozen concerns about the countries in question and sought corrective action.
“The department has found 36 concerns from the countries that may be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet the established indicators and requirements within 60 days,” said the cable over the weekend.
The cable was first reported by The Washington Post.
Among the concerns that the State Department raised was the lack of a competent or cooperative government from some of the mentioned countries to prepare reliable identity documents, the cable said. Another was the “dubious security” of this country’s passport.
Some countries, the cable said, have not cooperated to facilitate the removal of its citizens from the United States, to which they are ordered to be removed. Some countries have overdone the US visas that their citizens have been provided.
Other reasons for concern were that citizens of the country participated in terrorist acts in the United States or anti -Semitic and anti -American activities.
The cable noted that not all of these concerns are related to every country listed.
“We are constantly re -evaluating policies to guarantee the safety of Americans and that foreign citizens follow our laws,” said a senior official of the State Department, refusing to comment on specific internal discussions and communications.
“The State Department is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens, maintaining the highest standards of national security and public safety through our VISA process,” the employee said.
The Countries That Could Face A Full Or A Partial Ban IF IFY Do Not Address These Concerns Within The Next 60 Days Are: Angola, Antigya and Barbuda, Benin, Bhut, Burkina Faso Cote d’Voire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritia, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kit and Nevi Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zebia and Zimbabwe.
This would be a significant expansion of the ban that came into force earlier this month. The affected countries were Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
The entry of people from seven other countries – Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela – is also partially limited.
During his first service, Trump announced a ban on seven -nations travelers with a majority of Muslims, a policy that went through several repetitions before being confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2018.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamukediting by Bill Bercrot)