Trump Bans 7 African countries, and five Others From the US Citing Security Concerns

President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation barring citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States, citing national security risks. The comprehensive travel ban applies to nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The new restrictions are set to take effect on June 9, 2025.

In addition to the full bans, the proclamation also introduces partial entry restrictions for citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

According to the White House, these countries were targeted due to factors including the presence of terrorist networks, poor cooperation on visa security, weak identity verification systems, poor criminal record-keeping, and high rates of visa overstays.

In a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Trump defended the move, stating, “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen.”

Policy Exceptions

Some exceptions to the policy include athletes participating in major international events, select Afghan nationals, and dual citizens whose other nationality is from a country not affected by the ban, according to the BBC.

The directive builds on Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, which intensified at the start of his second term. On January 20, he signed an executive order instructing federal agencies to strengthen background checks on foreign nationals and reevaluate countries with inadequate screening processes.

This latest measure closely mirrors Trump’s earlier travel ban from his first term, which initially targeted several Muslim-majority nations and was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. That policy was later repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021, who criticized it as “a stain on our national conscience.”

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