Trump Issues Travel Ban on 12 Countries Citing National Security Threats
US President Donald Trump signed a sweeping travel ban proclamation on Wednesday, restricting entry from 12 countries and imposing partial limitations on seven others, citing national security concerns and inadequate screening processes.
The executive order, which takes effect at 12:01 am on Monday, June 9, fully bans nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the United States.
Trump’s decision came in the wake of Sunday’s Colorado attack, where an Egyptian man set fire to peaceful protesters seeking the release of Israelis held in Gaza, highlighting concerns about foreign-born security threats.
The countries facing total bans were found “to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and were determined to pose a very high risk to the United States,” according to a White House statement.
Beyond the complete travel ban, partial entry restrictions will be imposed on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
These limitations affect both immigrant and non-immigrant visas including B-1, B-2, F, M, and J categories, primarily due to high visa overstay rates or insufficient collaboration with US law enforcement agencies.
“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen… That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others,” Trump stated in his proclamation.
The President reinforced his position, saying: “We will restore the travel ban, some people call it the Trump travel ban, and keep the radical Islamic terrorists out of our country that was upheld by the Supreme Court.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the decision on X, stating: “President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm.”
The administration emphasized that the move was aimed at safeguarding national security and protecting American citizens from potential threats.
The White House cited specific reasons for individual country bans, including the Taliban’s control in Afghanistan, state-sponsored terrorism in Iran and Cuba, and exceptionally high visa overstay rates.
Chad recorded a 49.54 percent overstay rate for B1/B2 visas, while Eritrea showed a 55.43 percent overstay rate among F, M, and J visa holders, according to official data.
This move revives and broadens Trump’s contentious travel ban policy, originally implemented during his first term in January 2017, which initially targeted seven Muslim-majority nations including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.
The original policy was rescinded by former President Joe Biden in 2021, who called it “a stain on our national conscience.”
Trump’s reference to Supreme Court approval relates to the 2018 ruling that upheld his travel ban policy, providing legal precedent for the current restrictions.
The expanded version now covers additional countries beyond the original Muslim-majority nations, reflecting what the administration describes as evolving security threats.
