U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping travel ban targeting nationals from 12 countries, citing national security concerns and the need to protect Americans from “dangerous foreign actors.”
The proclamation, which takes full effect on June 9, 2025, restricts travel to the United States from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
According to the White House, the decision stems from the high presence of terrorist groups and insufficient visa cooperation from the affected countries. Additional concerns cited include poor criminal record-keeping and high visa overstay rates.
In addition to the full bans, the proclamation imposes partial restrictions on citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The administration emphasized that the move is intended to protect U.S. citizens and prevent external threats from entering the country.
“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen,” Trump said in a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
This is not the first time Trump has taken aggressive steps to tighten immigration policies. On Jan. 20, he signed an executive order mandating stricter security checks for foreign nationals and requiring federal agencies to reassess countries seeking entry into the United States.
The original version of the travel ban was rescinded by President Joe Biden in 2021, who described it as “a stain on our national conscience.” Now, the policy has been reinstated under Trump’s renewed leadership.
