Three Pacific nations in Trump's expanded travel ban list

Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu have reportedly been included in an expanded list of 36 additional countries that the Trump administration is considering for travel restrictions on entering the US, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.

Earlier this month, President Trump signed a proclamation that banned the entry of citizens from 12 countries, citing threats from "foreign terrorists" and other national security concerns.

Reuters reports that the directive is part of an immigration crackdown Trump launched this year at the start of his second term.

The news agency said that, in an internal diplomatic cable signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department outlined a dozen concerns about the countries in question and called for corrective action.

"The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days," the cable sent out over the weekend said.

The cable was first reported by the Washington Post.

The governments of Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu have yet to respond to the issue.

Kaniva Tonga reported that travelling to America had been a major concern for Tongans due to the high cost of obtaining a visa, which required having to travel to the US Embassy in Fiji.

"It was one of the key issues Tonga used to negotiate the establishment of a US Embassy in Nukuʻalofa last year," the news outlet reported.

"In 2020, the US Census reported that 78,871 people in the US have Tongan ancestry."

In February, Tongan Prime Minister Dr 'Aisake Eke had expressed concerns about Trump's immigration policies, saying that deported migrants would worsen existing challenges in the kingdom.