Cape Verde on List of Countries Targeted for Possible US Travel Ban

The US government, under the Trump administration, is considering restricting the entry of citizens from up to 43 countries, including Cape Verde. The African country has been placed on the "yellow" list, which means it will have a 60-day deadline to correct alleged deficiencies in its migration control systems and information sharing with the US. Otherwise, it could face tougher restrictions.

According to an internal US government draft, Cape Verde is among the 22 countries that will need to demonstrate improvements to avoid stricter sanctions. The exact reasons for the country's inclusion were not detailed, but are generally related to failures in sharing information about travelers, issuing passports or selling citizenship to people from banned countries.

Cape Verde's inclusion on the list raises concerns for citizens who frequently travel to the US for tourism, business or study. Although there is no final decision yet, the Trump administration has a history of implementing strict restrictions based on national security concerns.

The draft of the new travel restriction policy includes 19 African countries:

-Red List (total ban): Somalia, Sudan, Libya.

-Orange List (severe visa restrictions): Eritrea, Sierra Leone, South Sudan.

- Yellow List (60 days to correct deficiencies): Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Zimbabwe.

The coming months will be decisive in determining whether these restrictions will in fact be implemented and how they will affect African citizens wishing to travel to the United States.