Trump bans citizens of 12 countries from entering the US

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a proclamation barring nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States, citing the need to protect the country from “foreign terrorists” and other security threats.

This directive is part of a broader immigration crackdown launched during the start of Trump’s second term. Other recent measures include the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of gang affiliation and efforts to restrict or deny visas to certain foreign students.

The countries facing a full travel ban include:

-Afghanistan

-Myanmar

-Chad

-Republic of the Congo

-Equatorial Guinea

-Eritrea

-Haiti

-Iran

-Libya

-Somalia

-Sudan

-Yemen

In addition, the U.S. will partially restrict entry for nationals from the following countries, suspending entry for immigrants and holders of B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas:

-Burundi

-Cuba

-Laos

-Sierra Leone

-Togo

-Turkmenistan

-Venezuela

“We will not allow people into our country who intend to harm us,” Trump said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the list of restricted countries may be updated.

The ban will go into effect on June 9, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT). Visas issued before that date will remain valid.

This latest action follows Trump’s earlier travel ban during his first term, which targeted several Muslim-majority countries and was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. President Joe Biden later repealed that policy in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience.”

Who is affected?

The restrictions apply to foreign nationals from the listed countries who:

-Are outside the U.S. as of June 9, 2025

-Do not possess a valid visa as of that date

The proclamation explicitly states that visas issued before June 9 will not be revoked under this directive.

Exceptions

The travel ban does not apply to:

-U.S. lawful permanent residents

-Dual nationals traveling with a passport from an unrestricted country

-Diplomats with valid non-immigrant visas

-Athletes and their families participating in major global events

-Immediate family members with immigrant visas

-Adoptees

-Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders

-U.S. government employees eligible for Special Immigrant Visas

-Certain persecuted minorities from Iran

Rationale Behind the Ban

Trump stated that the most restricted countries were identified due to their harboring of terrorist organizations, poor cooperation on visa security, lack of reliable traveler identification systems, and high visa overstay rates.

He cited a recent incident in Boulder, Colorado, where an Egyptian national allegedly threw a gasoline bomb into a pro-Israel demonstration. Although Egypt is not on the ban list, Trump used the case to underscore the need for tighter screening.

International Reactions

- Somalia pledged to work with the U.S. to resolve security concerns.

- Venezuela’s Interior Minister criticized the U.S., warning Venezuelans that residing there poses a serious risk.

- Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Laos did not provide immediate responses to inquiries for comment.

Trump previously previewed this policy in an October 2023 speech, promising to block entry from regions he deemed security threats, including Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.

In January, he signed an executive order mandating stricter vetting of foreign nationals, directing federal agencies to recommend countries for partial or full travel suspensions due to inadequate security screening capabilities.

CBS News first reported the new travel restrictions, which were later confirmed by Reuters in March.