*New U.S travel ban threat looms over Zimbabwe… dodgy passports cited* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/6u7p ___________________________________ `June 17, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ HARARE – The United States government is reportedly considering a significant expansion of its travel restrictions, potentially impacting 36 additional countries, including Zimbabwe, as part of a heightened focus on national security and immigration vetting. An internal State Department memo, seen by The Washington Post, outlined a 60-day window for these nations to comply with new requirements or face potential full or partial entry bans. The confidential memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was dispatched to U.S. diplomats working with the targeted countries. It stipulated an 8 a.m. Wednesday deadline for these governments to submit an initial action plan detailing how they intend to meet the new benchmarks. The reasons cited for this potential expansion are varied, encompassing administrative and security deficiencies. The memo highlighted concerns about countries lacking “competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” or those grappling with “widespread government fraud.” Other issues included a high number of citizens overstaying U.S. visas, the availability of citizenship through monetary investment without residency requirements, and allegations of “antisemitic and anti-American activity in the United States” by individuals from these nations. The memo also indicated that cooperation in accepting third-country nationals removed from the U.S. or entering “safe third country” agreements could alleviate concerns. The precise timeline for the enforcement of these proposed travel restrictions, should the demands not be met, remains unclear. The list of countries under scrutiny includes: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, 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. This potential expansion follows a presidential proclamation on June 4, which already fully restricted entry from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Partial restrictions were also imposed on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela under that order. Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono asserts that such actions by the U.S. government are a normal function of responsible governance, particularly given concerns over document security and transparency in countries like Zimbabwe. “When the American government asks the Zimbabwean government to close loopholes in its passport and documents system, it is normal, that is how every responsible government works,” Chin’ono stated. “You know that I do not like Trump, but on this occasion, I cannot blame him for putting the security of his people first. “The American memo cited issues such as the lack of reliable or cooperative central government authorities to produce trustworthy identity documents or civil records. “You know that you can buy documents in Zimbabwe, you also know that the President has issued loads of diplomatic passports to his friends both Zimbabwean and foreign, the Americans are aware of this because they have CIA officers in Zimbabwe at their embassy. “Zimbabwe, like some other countries on the list, has been seen as having weaknesses in verifying travel documents or managing secure passports, which raises concerns about screening and vetting entrants to the U.S. “You cannot scan and obtain a readable copy of the new Zimbabwean passport, a business controlled by the Mnangagwa family. “While the American official reasons focus on administrative and security benchmarks, there is also an undercurrent of political and diplomatic tension.” Chin’ono further cited the Zimbabwean government’s human rights and corruption record as part of the reasons behind U.S’s impending decision. “Zimbabwe’s governance record under Mnangagwa, alongside concerns about corruption and human rights issues, has also influenced Zimbabwe’s inclusion. Mnangagwa is currently under American sanctions for corruption. Do the Math,” he noted. The Trump administration’s approach to travel bans has consistently drawn criticism from Democrats and other opponents, who have labeled such measures as xenophobic and bigoted. These criticisms often refer to the high proportion of African and Caribbean nations targeted during this term, as well as President Trump’s earlier attempts to restrict travel from Muslim-majority countries during his first term. The initial version of the ban in his first term, targeting Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Libya, led to airport chaos and numerous legal challenges before the Supreme Court upheld its third iteration in June 2018. Although the travel ban was rescinded by the Biden administration, President Trump has repeatedly vowed to reinstate it, suggesting it would be “bigger than before” if he were to return to office. On Inauguration Day, a White House executive order directed U.S. agencies, including the State Department, to identify countries globally where “vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries.”