President Donald J. Trump has indicated plans to dramatically expand the U.S. travel ban, targeting Tanzania, Uganda, and 34 other countries. The proposed measure would become the most extensive visa restriction in U.S. history if implemented.
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According to sources close to Trump’s 2024 campaign team, the new travel restrictions are part of a broader national security policy that aims to compel foreign governments to comply with strict U.S. security and identity verification standards.
Under the plan, the listed countries will have 60 days to meet updated U.S. vetting requirements or face suspension from the U.S. visa system entirely. Affected travelers would be barred from entering the United States for most types of visas, including work, tourism, and student categories.
“America will not be the dumping ground for weak security practices,” Trump reportedly told a closed-door audience at a policy briefing. “If these countries can’t meet our standards, they won’t send their citizens here. Period.”
While Trump has not officially confirmed the full list, insiders say most of the countries being considered are in Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Southeast Asia. The decision is expected to provoke widespread diplomatic backlash and legal challenges, similar to the initial 2017 “Muslim Ban” that targeted several majority-Muslim nations during his first term.
Civil rights groups and immigration advocates have already begun sounding the alarm.
“This is not about security. It’s about discrimination dressed up as policy,” said Nia Brooks, director of the Global Immigration Justice League. “A sweeping ban on dozens of nations will rip families apart and isolate America from the world.”
Governments in East Africa are reportedly in urgent consultation with their U.S. counterparts to understand the criteria and avoid inclusion. Both Tanzania and Uganda have expressed concern, with diplomatic sources confirming they will appeal for reconsideration if officially listed.
