Over Two Dozen More African Countries Could Be Affected by Trump’s Travel Bans

Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, South Sudan, Uganda and Angola are among the African countries in the list. These countries might be recommended for bans or restrictions “if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements” in the next two months. The cable instructs U.S. diplomats to give listed countries until 8AM Wednesday, June 18, to submit initial action plans to meet the new requirements.

Should further action be taken, this will increase the number of African countries affected by the Trump administration’s fixation on travel ban. Earlier this month, nearly a dozen African countries were affected by bans and travel restrictions, a lower number than the initial projections that 22 African countries would be affected.

Early this month, the African Union (AU) finally expressed concerns over the travel ban and restrictions,following a prolonged period of silence. Ten of the 19 countries affected are African countries, including seven whose citizens have been banned from traveling to the U.S.

In its statement, the AU lamented “the potential negative impact of such measures on people-to-people ties, educational exchange, commercial engagement, and the broader diplomatic relations that have been carefully nurtured over decades.” The commission also called on the U.S. government to engage in a constructive dialogue with the affected African countries; however, that appeal may fall on deaf ears considering Trump’s stance on immigration and general attitude towards Africa.

The initial order prevents citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. entirely, while those from nine countries are subject to heightened visa scrutiny and entry restrictions. Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia, and Chad are the six African countries with outright bans on immigrants.

Trump’s order statement alleges visa overstay rates from these countries, inadequate passport systems, and disregard for U.S. immigration laws. Chad was implicated for having “one of the highest overstay rates,” with nearly 50 percent of tourists and 55 percent of students alleged to be offenders. In return, Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Déby has announced the suspension of visa issuances to U.S. citizens “in accordance with the principles of reciprocity.”

Somalia and Libya were also included on the ban list for facing ongoing terrorism threats, while Eritrea is accused of refusing to accept deportees.

Intending travelers from Togo, Burundi, and Sierra Leone will face heightened visa screening and restrictions, with visa overstays cited as the main reason for these countries’ inclusion on the list. Laos, Cuba, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela are also on the restricted list, while an outright ban extends to Haiti, Iran, Afghanistan, and several other countries.

Several exceptions have been made, such as competing athletes, as the U.S. is set to host next year’s soccer World Cup, and Los Angeles will be the host for the 2028 Olympics. Exceptions also apply to Green card holders, dual citizens, those granted asylum, and individuals from banned countries who are applying for visas through family members who are American citizens.

The number of affected African countries is lower than the initially speculated 22 African countries that could be affected, based on an initial draft list from earlier this year. However, some countries not on this ban list are already being affected by the Trump administration’s antagonizing stance towards immigrants from Africa and the global south.

In April, the U.S. government announced that it had revoked the visas of all South Sudaneseimmigrants, saying its government was unwilling to accept its deported citizens, despite the U.S. not being certain of the nationality of the person deported. The Department of Homeland Security also said it would not renew the temporary protected status (TPS) of nearly 8,000 Cameroonians who came to the U.S. as asylum seekers.

For now, the priority of the U.S., where immigration from Africa is concerned, is bringing in Afrikaner refugees despite clear evidence that there is no white genocide going on in South Africa.