Trump Signs New Travel Ban Blocking Entry From 12 Countries Citing National Security Concerns

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a new travel ban affecting citizens from 12 countries, citing national security risks and inadequate screening processes. The proclamation, signed on Wednesday, will take effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, June 9.

Full Travel Ban Targets 12 Nations

The order suspends entry into the United States for nationals from the following countries:
Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

According to the proclamation, these countries lack proper vetting and information-sharing systems, raising concerns that individuals from these regions could pose a threat to U.S. national security or be involved in terrorism-related activities.

Partial Restrictions for 7 Additional Countries

The policy also imposes partial travel restrictions on seven more countries, including:
Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Officials said criteria for the ban included visa overstay rates, cooperation in repatriating nationals, and intelligence-sharing capabilities.

Who Is Exempt From the Ban?

While broad in scope, the ban includes specific exemptions, such as:

U.S. permanent residents (green card holders)

Athletes participating in major international sporting events

Immediate family members with verified relationships and identity, such as through DNA testing

Trump Ties Policy to National Security and Recent Attack

In a video statement released Wednesday night, Trump claimed the ban was part of his broader strategy to protect America’s borders and national interests.

He referenced a recent attack on Jewish protesters in Boulder, Colorado, as justification for stronger border control. The suspect in that incident, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, is an Egyptian national — though Egypt is not included in the list of banned countries.

Trump also mentioned that upon returning to office, one of his first directives was to conduct a security review of what he called “high-risk regions.”

Echoes of the 2017 Travel Ban

The new travel ban closely mirrors Trump’s 2017 policy, which blocked entry from several Muslim-majority countries during his first term. That ban faced widespread backlash but was ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. President Joe Biden officially reversed the 2017 ban in 2021.

Democratic Lawmakers Condemn the Policy

Several Democratic lawmakers have voiced opposition, calling the policy discriminatory and ineffective.

“Make no mistake: Trump’s latest travel ban will NOT make America safer,” wrote Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on X (formerly Twitter).
“We cannot continue to allow the Trump administration to write bigotry and hatred into U.S. immigration policy,” echoed Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

The ban applies only to foreign nationals who are currently outside the United States and do not hold valid U.S. visas as of June 9.

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