US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States, citing the need to protect against “foreign terrorists” and other security threats. The countries affected by the full ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Entry from seven other countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—will face partial restrictions.
This new travel ban, effective June 9, 2025, at 12:01 am EDT, is part of a broader immigration crackdown initiated at the start of Trump’s second term. Visas issued before the deadline will remain valid. Trump justified the move by citing the presence of terrorists, poor cooperation on visa security, inadequate identity verification, and high rates of visa overstays from these countries.
Trump referenced a recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, involving an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa, as a reason for tightening restrictions, despite Egypt not being on the list.
Reactions have varied: Somalia expressed willingness to cooperate, while Venezuela’s government condemned the ban and warned its citizens of risks in the US. Other countries listed have not yet responded.
This proclamation follows Trump’s earlier travel bans on mostly Muslim-majority countries during his first term, which were repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021. The new directive reflects Trump’s continued emphasis on stringent border and immigration policies.
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