June 16, 2025: A New Travel Ban is on the Horizon for Additional Countries

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“Such a move would represent another escalation of the Trump administration's aggressive stance on ‘BLACK’ immigration.”

“If only Black folks can get their act together!”

— Source: YAME Digital

A new travel ban is being proposed that could affect additional countries.

On June 16, the U.S. State Department, in an internal memo reviewed by The Washington Post, indicated that it is considering adding 36 more countries to a list that might face visa bans or other restrictions. This list includes 25 African nations, such as significant U.S. partners like Egypt and Djibouti, as well as Nigeria, along with countries in the Caribbean, Central Asia, and several Pacific Island nations.

The internal memo sets a 60-day deadline for these targeted nations to meet specific requirements; otherwise, they may face a full or partial entry ban. Such a move would represent another escalation of the Trump administration's aggressive stance on immigration.

The memo, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to U.S. diplomats who work with the countries, said the governments of listed nations were being given 60 days to meet new benchmarks and requirements established by the State Department. It set a deadline of 8 A.M. Wednesday for them to provide an initial action plan for meeting the requirements.

The cable was first reported by the Washington Post

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In accordance with the presidential proclamation, the U.S. Embassy has suspended issuance of tourist, business, student, and exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas (categories B, F, M, and J) to nationals of Sierra Leone and can only issue immigrant visas for immediate family members of U.S. Citizens (IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5) or adoption (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4) to nationals of Sierra Leone.

Trump signs proclamation to ban travel from several countries

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REUTERS: Trump administration weighs adding 36 countries to travel ban, memo says

By Humeyra Pamuk | June 16, 2025 5:44 AM EDT

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.

Earlier this month, the Republican president signed a proclamation that banned the entry of citizens from 12 countries, saying the move was needed to protect the United States against "foreign terrorists" and other national security threats.

The directive was part of an immigration crackdown Trump launched this year at the start of his second term, which has included the deportation to El Salvador of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members, as well as efforts to deny enrollment of some foreign students from U.S. universities and deport others.

In an internal diplomatic cable signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department outlined a dozen concerns about the countries in question and sought corrective action.

"The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days," the cable sent out over the weekend said.

The cable was first reported by the Washington Post.

Among the concerns the State Department raised was the lack of a competent or cooperative government by some of the countries mentioned to produce reliable identity documents, the cable said. Another was "questionable security" of that country's passport.

Some countries, the cable said, were not cooperative in facilitating the removal of their nationals from the United States who were ordered to be removed. Some countries were overstaying the U.S. visas that their citizens were being granted.

[1/2] U.S. President Donald Trump stands with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he prepares to depart for Hagerstown, Maryland, at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, U.S., June 8, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Other reasons for concern were that the nationals of the country were involved in acts of terrorism in the United States, or antisemitic and anti-American activity.

The cable noted that not all of these concerns pertained to every country listed.

"We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws," a senior State Department official said, declining to comment on specific internal deliberations and communications.

"The Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process," the official said.

The countries that could face a full or a partial ban if they do not address these concerns within the next 60 days are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

That would be a significant expansion of the ban that came into effect earlier this month. The countries affected were Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, 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 - has also been partially restricted.

During his first term in office, Trump announced a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk Editing by Bill Berkrot

Humeyra Pamuk is a senior foreign policy correspondent based in Washington, DC. She covers the U.S. State Department, regularly traveling with the U.S. Secretary of State. During her 20 years with Reuters, she has had postings in London, Dubai, Cairo, and Turkey, covering everything from the Arab Spring and Syria's civil war to numerous Turkish elections and the Kurdish insurgency in the southeast. In 2017, she won the Knight-Bagehot fellowship program at Columbia University’s School of Journalism. She holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in European Union studies.

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“UPDATE: December 16, 2025: Complete travel shutdown for immigrants and non-immigrants extended for Sierra Leone starting 1 January 2026.”

— Source: The WHITE HOUSE — Washington

Immigrant and non-immigrant travel restrictions for Sierra Leone will be completely shut down starting January 1, 2026. This is part of a new presidential proclamation signed by President Donald J. Trump on December 16, 2025, which expands earlier travel restrictions implemented in June 2025.

""It imposes full restrictions and entry limitations on 2 countries that were previously subject to partial restrictions: Laos and Sierra Leone.""

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States

– The White House

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Sierra Leone is now under a FULL U.S. ENTRY SUSPENSION

Under Section 4(e), all immigrant and non-immigrant entries of Sierra Leonean nationals into the United States are fully suspended starting January 1, 2026.

This means:

Sierra Leoneans cannot be issued:

• Tourist visas (B-1/B-2)

• Student visas (F, M, J)

• Work visas

• Family-based immigrant visas

• Diversity Visa (Green Card lottery)

• Business visas

New visa applications will be denied by default.

Who is NOT affected (important exceptions)

You are NOT barred if you fall into one of these categories: You can still enter the U.S. if you are:

• A U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder)

• A dual national traveling on a non-Sierra Leone passport

• Already holding a valid U.S. visa issued before January 1, 2026

• Traveling on official/diplomatic visas (A, G, NATO categories)

• Part of major international sporting events

• A U.S. government employee under a special immigrant visa

• Granted a case-by-case national interest waiver (very rare)

Family reunification is effectively shut down

One of the biggest impacts is that family-based immigration is no longer broadly allowed. Even:

• Spouses

• Children

• Parents

Do not automatically qualify anymore.

The U.S. government explicitly says family ties have been used in the past for fraud and financing of illegal activity, so family visas are no longer a blanket exception.

Why Sierra Leone specifically?

The proclamation cites Sierra Leone for:

• High visa overstay rates

• ~16% for tourist visas

• ~36% for student/exchange visas (very high by U.S. standards)

• Failure to accept deported nationals consistently

• Weak civil documentation systems

• Unreliable criminal records

• Corruption and document fraud risks

In short, the U.S. says it cannot trust documents or background checks coming from Sierra Leone.

What this means economically and socially

For individuals:

• Education pathways to the U.S. are cut off

• Medical travel to the U.S. becomes nearly impossible

• Business mobility is severely restricted

• Families remain separated indefinitely

For the country:

• Loss of remittances

• Reduced educational and professional exchange

• Diplomatic strain with the U.S.

• Increased stigma for Sierra Leonean passports globally

Is this permanent?

No — but it is open-ended.

• Reviews occur every 180 days

• Restrictions can be lifted only if Sierra Leone:

• Improves civil registration (births, deaths, marriages)

• Reduces visa overstays

• Accepts deported nationals

• Strengthens document security and recordkeeping

• Cooperates fully with U.S. vetting requests

Until then, the suspension remains in force.

Practical advice for Sierra Leoneans

• Do not apply for new U.S. visas unless you clearly qualify for an exception

• If you have another nationality, use that passport

• If you already have a U.S. visa, travel before it expires

• Focus on alternative destinations (UK, Canada, Schengen, etc.)

• Expect much stricter scrutiny globally, not just from the U.S.

Bottom line (plain truth)

For Sierra Leoneans, this is effectively a U.S. travel ban — one of the harshest levels of restriction — with very limited escape routes.

RESTRICTING AND LIMITING THE ENTRY OF FOREIGN NATIONALS TO PROTECT THE SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES

President Donald J. Trump – The WHITE HOUSE

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