Trump Reinstates Controversial US Travel Ban, Blocking Citizens from 12 Countries
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – US President Donald Trump on Wednesday reinstated a sweeping travel ban targeting citizens from 12 countries, claiming it was necessary to prevent entry of “foreign terrorists” and protect national security.
The move marks a sharp escalation in Trump’s hardline immigration agenda during his second term, following mass deportations of Venezuelans to El Salvador and efforts to bar or expel international students.
The affected countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Trump’s order also imposes partial restrictions on entry from seven more countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump declared in a video posted on X.
He warned that the list could be expanded further.
The ban, which takes effect on June 9 at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT), will not revoke visas issued before that date, according to the order.
The African Union Commission condemned the decision, warning it could severely harm educational ties, trade partnerships, and diplomatic relations.
“The African Union Commission respectfully calls upon the US administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned,” it said in a statement Thursday.
Trump’s action resurrects a controversial policy from his first term (2017–2021), when he barred travelers from several Muslim-majority nations — a decision widely criticized as discriminatory and upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018.
His successor, Democrat Joe Biden, had revoked that ban in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience.”
But with Trump’s return, a more extreme version has emerged, targeting a broader group of mostly non-Western and under-resourced nations.
Trump defended the latest restrictions by claiming some countries “harbor a large-scale presence of terrorists,” fail to meet US security standards, or are unable to track criminal records and overstayed visas.
“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” Trump said.
He cited a recent attack in Boulder, Colorado — where an Egyptian man allegedly threw a gasoline bomb into a pro-Israel crowd — as justification for the renewed curbs.
Although the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, had overstayed his visa, Egypt is not included in the travel ban list.
Backlash Mounts over Perceived Targeting of Vulnerable Nations
In Somalia, officials said they would engage with Washington to resolve concerns.
“Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised,” said Dahir Hassan Abdi, Somalia’s ambassador to the US
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello — a key figure in the Maduro government — denounced the US as “fascist” and cautioned Venezuelans against traveling there.
“The truth is being in the United States is a big risk for anybody, not just for Venezuelans... They persecute our countrymen, our people for no reason,” Cabello said.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led foreign ministry did not comment on the order.
Pakistan also remained silent on the status of thousands of Afghans stranded in Islamabad awaiting US resettlement.
Myanmar's military government did not respond to inquiries.
The announcement has already disrupted planned US programs.
A 31-year-old Myanmar teacher selected for a US State Department exchange said her future was now uncertain.
“It is not easy to apply nor get accepted as we needed several recommendation letters,” she said from Thailand, requesting anonymity due to her pending visa.
“In my case, I would get to work at universities that provide digital education,” she added, noting that program organizers had not updated her following Trump’s declaration.
Part of Broader Strategy to Shut Out ‘High-Risk’ Regions
Trump has long vowed to seal the US border to immigrants from countries he deems unsafe.
In an October 2023 campaign speech, he pledged to ban entry from Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, along with “anywhere else that threatens our security.”
On his first day back in office in January 2025, he signed an executive order requiring intensified vetting of all foreign nationals.
