WASHINGTON: The United States is considering extending its travel ban to 36 more countries, a person who has seen the memo said Monday, marking a dramatic potential expansion of entry restrictions to nearly 1.5 billion people. The State Department early this month announced it was barring entry to citizens of 12 nations including Afghanistan, Haiti and Iran and imposing a partial ban on travelers from seven other countries, reviving a divisive measure from President Donald Trump’s first term.

According to the The Washington Post, the list of countries, whose citizens may face the ban for receiving US visas or other restrictions, comprise 25 African countries

The Trump administration may ban citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the U.S., according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.