US Considers Travel Ban for Citizens of 36 Countries, Kyrgyzstan Among Them - Report

The United States is considering imposing travel restrictions on citizens from 36 countries, including Kyrgyzstan, according to a State Department memo reviewed by The Washington Post. The list includes 25 African nations, even U.S. partners like Egypt and Djibouti, as well as countries in the Caribbean, Central Asia, and the Pacific, The Caspian Post reports citing the AkiPress.

The countries under consideration by U.S. authorities are:

Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, 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.

The report noted that a State Department representative declined to comment on internal documents, and the White House also did not respond to a request for comment.

This initiative would mark a new phase in the Trump administration's tightening of immigration policy.

According to the document, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to U.S. diplomats, the governments of these countries are given 60 days to meet new State Department requirements. An initial action plan must be submitted by 8:00 AM on Wednesday.

The memo states that these countries do not meet a number of criteria. Some lack competent authorities capable of issuing reliable documents, or there are widespread instances of fraud. It also points out that many citizens from these countries overstay their visas in the U.S.

Other grounds cited include granting citizenship in exchange for investment without a residency requirement, as well as instances of "antisemitic and anti-American activities" by individuals from these countries. However, the memo emphasizes that a willingness to accept deported citizens from third countries or to conclude a "safe third country" agreement could mitigate other concerns.

The Washington Post noted that the timeline for implementing restrictions if the requirements are not met is currently unknown.