WASHINGTON DC: U.S. President Donald J. Trump has signed a new executive order restricting entry into the United States for citizens of 12 countries, citing national security concerns.
The countries affected by the full ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The policy will go into effect on June 9, 2025.
In addition to the full bans, the U.S. is imposing partial restrictions on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
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The White House explained that these nations were selected due to issues such as inadequate identity verification systems, high rates of visa overstays, and poor cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities. Some countries were also flagged for harboring terrorist networks.
Exemptions apply in limited cases, including for athletes participating in global events and dual citizens with ties to unaffected nations.
We must prioritize national safety by preventing entry from countries where we cannot reliably verify identities, President Trump said in a video statement posted on social media.
The new order expands on Trump’s previous immigration policies and revives elements of his 2017 travel ban, which targeted several Muslim-majority countries and was upheld by the Supreme Court before being repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021.
This move marks a continued effort by the Trump administration to tighten immigration controls and enforce stricter vetting procedures.
