The Trump administration is considering a move that could nearly triple the number of countries subject to a travel ban, according to a State Department memo obtained by NPR. Up to 36 additional nations could be added to the list of 19 that were placed under full or partial restrictions earlier this month.

The memo to diplomats in about two dozen African nations, along with others in Central Asia, the Caribbean and several Pacific Island countries, demands that they detail by this Wednesday, how they will begin to address U.S. concerns and comply with new State Department requirements.

Signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the memo, first reported by The Washington Post, says the 36 countries have been identified as having “vetting and screening information [that] is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension” of entry of their citizens to the U.S. It’s the latest move in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown that has included mass deportations of immigrants accused or convicted of criminal activity and others.

The memo says, some of the nations are designated as state sponsors of terror , or some of their citizens have been “involved with acts of terrorism in the United States.” Some lack a credible “government authority to produce reliable identity documents,” keep unreliable criminal records, or are beset by “widespread government fraud,” according to the memo. Other concerns include claims that the countries have high rates of citizens overstaying visas, or citizens who have been “involved in antisemitic or Anti-American activity in the United States.” Countries that do not address concerns could be recommended for a travel ban as soon as August.

Limiting entry of individuals from those countries “will help secure the American homeland and make our communities safer,” said Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin in a statement to NPR.

The memo also cites requirements that foreign governments be “fully cooperative” in removing foreign nationals when it is “vital to U.S. national security.” And any specific concerns that the U.S. may have with a specific country could be “mitigated,” the memo says, if that country is willing to accept deportees from the U.S. who cannot be sent back to their country of origin.

“This is a necessary step to garner cooperation from foreign governments to accept deportation flights of their own citizens, strengthen national security, and help restore integrity to the immigration system,” McLaughlin said.

Critics of the travel bans, however, have railed against President Trump’s previous bans as racially and religiously discriminatory for targeting many African and Muslim-majority nations.

The countries listed in the memo as facing bans are: Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Côte 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.

Nations already fully banned on June 4 are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Those partially banned are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

In his first term in office, Trump banned travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, but the order was rescinded under the Biden administration.

Copyright 2025 NPR

US President Donald Trump’s sweeping new travel ban affecting citizens from 19 countries came into effect today, June 9. Now in his second term, Trump has resurrected and expanded one of his most controversial policies from his first presidency – a move likely to have consequences far beyond the United States, including in Canada.

On This Page, You Will Find:

A full list of countries affected by the new U.S. travel ban

Key exemptions from the restrictions

How the ban could increase migration to Canada

Implications for Canadian immigration and border policy

International and Canadian reactions to the ban

The policy blocks entry into the U.S. for citizens of 12 countries and imposes strict visa restrictions on nationals of seven others.

No related posts.

Countries Affected by the Ban

The full ban applies to citizens of:

Afghanistan

Myanmar

Chad

Republic of Congo

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Yemen

Additional visa restrictions apply to people from:

Burundi

Cuba

Laos

Sierra Leone

Togo

Turkmenistan

Venezuela

The Trump administration says the policy is based on national security concerns, citing terrorism risks, visa overstays, and countries with “deficient” screening systems.

How Canada Could Be Affected

Rise in Asylum Claims at the Canadian Border

During Trump’s first term, similar bans led to a surge in asylum seekers crossing into Canada from the United States. With limited options for legal entry into the U.S., individuals from banned countries may once again turn to Canada in greater numbers – including through irregular crossings. This could increase pressure on Canada’s refugee processing system.

Shift in Immigration Preferences

Canada could see higher demand from skilled workers, students, and families from the affected countries. While the U.S. has closed off these paths, Canada’s immigration system – including Express Entry and family reunification programs – remains open regardless of nationality. As a result, Canada may become a more attractive destination for those excluded by U.S. policy.

Increased Humanitarian Responsibility

Canada has long presented itself as a leader in humanitarian migration. With refugee and aid groups already criticising the U.S. ban, Ottawa may face renewed calls to expand resettlement spaces for those displaced by the policy – especially for vulnerable populations such as Afghans, Haitians, and Eritreans.

Diplomatic Tensions and Border Coordination

The travel ban may further strain U.S.–Canada relations, particularly if cross-border refugee flows increase. Canada could face renewed debate over the Safe Third Country Agreement, which limits asylum claims at official ports of entry. Legal challenges to the agreement may resurface as they did during Trump’s first term.

Who Is Exempt?

Despite the broad scope of the ban, certain groups are exempt:

U.S. green card holders and dual citizens

Athletes attending major international events

Some Afghans with special immigrant visas

Religious or ethnic minorities fleeing persecution

Foreign nationals with U.S. family sponsorship

Diplomats, UN officials, and NATO representatives

Children adopted by U.S. citizens

Previously admitted refugees

Even with these exceptions, many will face delays or outright exclusion, potentially redirecting migration interest northward.

Political and Public Reaction

The policy has triggered strong responses around the world. Governments in Venezuela and Chad condemned the ban, and refugee organisations have called it discriminatory and unjustified. In the U.S., the Council on American-Islamic Relations called it “ideologically motivated,” while the National Immigration Law Center described it as “deeply racialised.”

While the Trump administration defends the policy as a necessary tool for public safety, critics argue it unfairly targets countries with predominantly Black, Muslim, or developing-world populations.

A Repeat of 2017 – or Worse?

Trump’s 2017 travel ban caused chaos at airports and led to legal battles that lasted years. Though this version is more detailed and includes more exemptions, its impact could be even wider due to the increased number of countries affected and heightened enforcement powers in Trump’s second term.

Canada’s policymakers, legal advocates, and communities will be watching closely to see how the effects unfold – and how they should respond.

FAQ

The United States is gearing up to host the world’s two biggest sporting events in the next three years, the 2026 Fifa World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.

They are events which ordinarily see a host nation attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe.

So will a new travel ban issued by US President Donald Trump have an impact on the tournaments? And what about the ban’s effect on the wider world of sport?

The policy places full restrictions on citizens of 12 countries entering the United States, as well as partial constraints on seven others as part of an immigration crackdown he says is needed over security threats.

However, the order contains an exemption that could apply to participants in the 2026 Fifa World Cup and 2028 Olympics.

Organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics say they have “great confidence” that the ban will not disrupt the summer Games or the preparations for them.

Speaking after a meeting with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) co-ordination commission, LA28 chair and president Casey Wasserman said: “It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration, and I want to thank the federal government for recognising that.

“It’s very clear that the federal government understands that’s an environment that they will be accommodating and provide for.

“And so we have great confidence that that will only continue.”

BBC Sport takes a closer look at the ban and its potential impact.

Trump’s travel ban a shock for many – but not a total surprise

Image source, EPA

Donald Trump’s migration policies are back in the headlines, after he banned citizens from 12 countries from travelling to the US, with another seven countries facing partial travel restrictions.

The ban is not really a surprise, our correspondent Anthony Zurcher says. Trump did similar during his first term and promised to do it again if he was re-elected.

But for people affected by the ban, it’s still a shock. Some have told the BBC that being banned from travelling to the US puts them in danger.

“We stood by US forces and now we are suffering,” an Afghan in hiding tells us.

Others, though, say the bans – which are put down, generally, to poor vetting and people overstaying visas – is “common sense”. Travelling to the US is a “privilege, not a right”, Congressman Clay Higgins told the BBC this morning.

Looking ahead, the travel ban is expected to face legal challenges – although one professor says it will be upheld by the Supreme Court.

You can read more about the travel ban here, with expert legal opinion here. That’s all from our live coverage today. Thanks for joining us.

Donald Trump’s controversial announcement of a travel ban on people from 12 countries visiting the US, immediately sparked questions about the implications for the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup and next year’s men’s football World Cup, both hosted in the US, as well as the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The Fifa Club World Cup starts on June 15 and is hosted at venues across the US including at stadiums in Miami, Los Angeles and New York. Teams will travel from across the world to the US for the tournament.

The travel ban will start on June 9, just before the major tournament, which features some of the biggest football clubs in the world, will start.

While the announcement says athletes competing will be exempt from the ban, it is not obvious that this will extend to fans. And further restrictions on who can enter the country may add to the fear many travellers are feeling of being stopped at the US border.

The announcement states that “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives travelling for the World Cup, the Olympics, or other major sporting events as defined by the Secretary of State” will be exempted from the ban. There’s not yet a list of which sporting events will be included in the exemption, or clarification of how the phrase “support role” may be interpreted.

Some teams that have qualified for the Club World Cup have players from countries listed in the travel ban, and Iran, which is listed, has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup. The countries listed in the travel ban are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela may also face some restrictions.

The US relationship with both of its co-hosts (Mexico and Canada) for the world cup in 2026 is already rather tense, because of the current geopolitics, rhetoric and US tariffs. There’s already been a significant downturn in Canadian travel to the US, and a boycott of US products, after Trump’s assertions that he could take over his northern neighbour. This has also resulted in some tension at sports matches.

The rivalry against US teams is likely to be more intense than normal. And it’s possible that many foreign fans could take out their frustration with Trump on US sportspeople. The president, who chairs the taskforce for the 2026 footballing event, could take that personally. And hostilities between rival groups of fans might escalate during the event.

In the current polarised atmosphere some artists may not want to participate in the opening ceremony, unless they are aligned with Trump’s politics.

Historical sporting conflicts

Historically, political tension has had some impact on international sporting events, and affected how they were carried out. During the cold war, 60 countries, including the US, boycotted the Moscow Olympic Games of 1980 in protest against the recent Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Four years later, 15 countries from the Soviet orbit responded by boycotting the Los Angeles games in 1984.

After the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 brought an end to the cold war, international relations generally became more relaxed and this was also reflected in major sport events. Fifa sought to reconcile Japan and South Korea, who had a difficult shared history of colonisation and war-time exploitation, by pressuring them to host the 2002 World Cup together.

The tournament became a great success, patching up relations between the two countries. Both national teams performed better than anticipated, leading to outbursts of feelgood patriotism. This was unprecedented for Japan, burdened by the memory of the second world war.

Four years later, the world cup was held in a recently reunited Germany. Fans from around the world, dressed up in their national colours, were welcomed in the host cities. The German public threw off its generally restrained attitude – and celebrated by waving the national flag with enthusiasm. It was felt to be a symbol of a new positive phase of a reunified Germany.

Since the reelection of Trump, the United States has signalled it is reviewing its support for many international organisations, and is largely disregarding traditional avenues for soft power, (influence through cultural means such as film, art or foreign aid). Trump has also shocked Nato partners by suggesting that the US may not be willing to defend them.

In the shadow of these international events and the growing geopolitical tensions, the upcoming football world cups may find their atmosphere somewhat dampened.