In a sweeping move that revives one of his most controversial first-term policies, President Donald Trump has introduced new travel restrictions impacting citizens from nearly 20 countries, most of them in Africa and the Middle East, citing concerns over national security and immigration enforcement.
The policy, announced as part of Trump’s renewed immigration agenda, bars citizens of 12 countries—Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—from entering the United States. In addition, seven other countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—will face enhanced restrictions, particularly for those outside the U.S. without a valid visa.
The administration stated that the measures took effect Monday and will remain indefinitely.
Justification for the Policy
Since reentering the office, President Trump has doubled down on immigration control, pushing executive authority to its limits despite ongoing pushback from federal courts.
The foundation for the expanded travel ban is a January 20 executive order instructing the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence to assess global “hostile attitudes” toward the U.S.
The administration claims the action is necessary to:
“protect citizens from foreigners who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse a hateful ideology, or exploit immigration laws for malicious purposes,” the administration said.
In a social media video, President Trump linked the restrictions to a recent mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, asserting that the suspect, an Egyptian national, overstayed his visa—despite Egypt not being among the restricted countries.
Who Is Exempt from the Ban?
The policy outlines several exemptions, including:
- Green card holders
- U.S. citizens with dual nationality from one of the affected countries
- Athletes and coaches participating in major global events, like the Olympics or World Cup
- Afghan nationals with Special Immigrant Visas
- Iranian minorities fleeing persecution
- Long-serving foreign nationals employed by the U.S. government
- Individuals granted asylum or admitted as refugees before the ban
- Immediate family members of U.S. citizens applying for a visa
- Accredited diplomats and foreign government officials
- UN officials visiting UN Headquarters in New York
- Representatives of international organizations and NATO
- Children adopted by U.S. citizens
Countries Under Scrutiny
President Trump defended the travel restrictions, saying the listed nations pose:
“terrorism-related” and “public safety” risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas.”
He also pointed to weaknesses in these countries’ vetting systems and their reluctance to accept deported nationals. The administration’s list relied heavily on a Homeland Security report identifying high rates of U.S. visa overstayers.
“We don’t want them,” Mr. Trump said.
The inclusion of Afghanistan drew criticism from refugee advocates, despite exceptions made for Afghans with U.S. Special Immigrant Visas. Officials noted that the list could evolve:
authorities in the designated countries make “material improvements” to their own rules and procedures. New countries can be added “as threats emerge around the world.”
Implementation Guidance from the State Department
On Friday, the State Department instructed embassies and consulates to refrain from revoking already-issued visas for affected nationals.
According to an official cable:
“no action should be taken on issued visas that have already left the consular section” and that “no visas issued before the effective date should be revoked under this proclamation.”
However, individuals who had been approved for a visa but had not yet received it will now be denied, unless they qualify for specific exemptions.
The directive was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Comparison to 2017 Travel Ban
This policy echoes Trump’s original 2017 travel ban, which targeted several Muslim-majority nations, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. The rollout then was chaotic, with travelers detained or turned away upon arrival in the U.S.
After a series of legal battles, a revised version of the 2017 ban was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. That version expanded restrictions to include some North Koreans and certain Venezuelan officials.
Public and International Reactions
The renewed ban has provoked strong international and domestic responses.
Venezuela’s government under President Nicolás Maduro condemned the policy as:
a “campaign of stigmatization and criminalization” against Venezuelans.
Chad responded by announcing a visa suspension for U.S. citizens.
Resettlement organizations and civil society leaders also voiced alarm.
“This policy has nothing to do with national security: it aims to sow division and denigrate communities seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America.
In Haiti, local radio programs were flooded with calls expressing outrage, particularly from Haitian-Americans who accused Trump of racism and noted that many of the targeted countries are predominantly Black.
At Newark Airport, 23-year-old Haitian-American Elvanise Louis-Juste commented:
“I have family in Haiti, so it’s pretty upsetting to see and hear. I don’t think it’s a good thing. It’s very upsetting.”
Meanwhile, some Americans support the move. In Little Havana, Miami, 75-year-old Cuban-American investor William Lopez defended the policy:
“These are people who come but don’t want to work, they support the Cuban government, they support communism. What the Trump administration is doing is perfectly fine.”
