Ban on citizens of 36 more countries from entering the United States

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: According to an internal US State Department memo obtained by Reuters, US President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order banning citizens of 36 more countries from entering the United States.

 

The document, signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, cited reasons such as the lack of effective governments to issue valid identity documents, lack of cooperation in returning deported citizens, overstaying the authorized period, and the connection of some citizens of these countries to terrorist and anti-American activities as areas of concern.

 

The State Department has warned that if these countries do not take the necessary corrective actions within 60 days, entry of all or some of their citizens into the United States will be suspended.

 

The list of these countries includes Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kazakhstan, 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 order is part of a broader policy that began since Trump took office in January of this year and includes deporting immigrants suspected of membership in extremist groups, suspending the issuance of some visas and restricting the entry of foreign students.

 

Trump had previously signed an executive order banning entry for citizens of 12 other countries. The countries covered by the order include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Entry for citizens of seven other countries, including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, has also been partially restricted.

 

The measures are reminiscent of Trump’s controversial policies during his first term, which began with a ban on entry from predominantly Muslim countries; a policy that was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018 but overturned by Joe Biden in 2021.

 

Sources close to the White House have said that the orders are part of Trump’s new strategy to win over his right-wing supporters ahead of the upcoming US presidential election. Some reports also suggest that the administration is considering expanding the list to include more countries. There has also been widespread reaction to the decision in cyberspace, including protests from human rights activists who have described it as “racist” and “discriminatory.”

 

Experts say that Trump’s new order banning citizens of 36 more countries from entering the United States is a clear sign of the return of his administration’s strict immigration policies, which were also experienced during his first term in office. This decision could face new restrictions on Afghan immigrants who were on the previous ban list and pave the way for deportation or further restrictions.

 

At the same time, this measure is likely to increase tensions between the United States and the target countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East. On the other hand, the global environment is concerned about the return of such policies, especially on the eve of the US presidential elections, because these decisions could lead to a decrease in the US’s credibility in the field of respecting human rights and democratic values.