The Trump administration has issued a new proclamation barring entry to the United States for citizens from twelve countries, citing national security concerns.
Effective Monday at 12:01 a.m. ET, the policy suspends travel for nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
The White House justified the restrictions by asserting that these nations fail to meet U.S. security standards, including insufficient identity verification, inadequate information-sharing practices, and elevated risks of terrorism and visa overstays.
Additionally, travellers from seven other countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—will face partial entry limitations.
In a White House-released video, former President Donald Trump referenced a recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, involving an Egyptian national, though Egypt was not included in the ban.
He reiterated that the measure stems from a security review initiated during his first term, which previously led to a 2017 travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations.
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That policy, widely criticised as discriminatory, was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court before being rescinded by President Joe Biden in 2021.
Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), have condemned the new restrictions, labelling them as discriminatory and ineffective for national security.
Schiff stated on social media,
Trump’s latest travel ban will NOT make America safer. We cannot allow bigotry to dictate immigration policy.
This is Trump’s reckless first term travel ban all over again.
Just like before, Trump’s expanded ban on travelers from around the world will not improve our national security and will only further isolate the U.S. from the rest of world.
Bigotry is not a national security…
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) June 5, 2025
Exemptions apply to certain individuals, such as U.S. green card holders, athletes competing in major events, and close family members who can provide verifiable proof of relationship, including DNA evidence.
The ban applies only to foreign nationals outside the U.S. without valid visas as of June 9.
