The telegram sent by the US State Department last weekend directed US embassies and consulates in 36 countries to assess before June 18 the goodwill of host countries in improving travel records and cooperating to address the situation of citizens living illegally in the US.
The telegram guides countries to take remedial action within 60 days or are at risk of being added to the current US travel ban list, which already includes 12 countries.
This is the latest move by the Trump administration to address visa expiration and link US immigration policies with national security concerns.
Of the 36 countries targeted this time, there are 25 in Africa. The list includes major US partners such as Egypt and Djibouti - both of which have military relations with Washington, as well as countries with friendly history such as Korea, Nigeria and Ethiopia.
Notably, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which were previously excluded from travel ban, are now on the warning list.
South Sudan, which is nationally banned from travel by the US State Department, has noted that most of the visas issued by the US to its citizens have been revoked under previous measures.
Details 36 countries are determined in the new electricity of the US Department of State: Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia Niger, Nigeria, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In early June, President Trump banned travel from citizens of 12 countries and imposed additional visa restrictions on citizens of 7 other countries. The order, effective on June 9, prohibits the issuance of new visas but does not revoke the issued visas.
Citizens of 12 countries banned from entry by the US include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Guinea Saigon, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Turkey, Sudan and Yemen.
Additional visa restrictions apply to citizens from 7 countries of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Vietnam, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
