Zambia has advised its citizens residing abroad, particularly in the US, who do not have valid immigration status, to think about returning to their homeland voluntarily, as the Trump administration considers prohibiting nationals from 36 additional countries from entering the nation.
“We encourage Zambians without valid immigration status to strongly consider returning to Zambia on a voluntary basis, to ensure a dignified return home,” the statement said.
Last month, US President Donald Trump issued an order that barred entry to citizens from 12 countries, citing the need to safeguard the US from “foreign terrorists” and other threats to national security.
In the meantime, an internal cable from the State Department has disclosed plans to expand the travel bans by potentially including citizens from 36 more countries, among them Zambia.
This directive is part of an immigration crackdown by Trump at the beginning of his second term in January, which aims to deport all undocumented immigrants and limit enrollment for certain foreign students.
Zambian Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe said that his country had made strides in resolving various issues raised by the US government to prevent being added to the expanded travel ban list.
