The Trump administration issued a proclamation Wednesday suspending entry into the U.S. for citizens from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, Libya,Sudan,Yemen,Somalia,Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of the Congo ,Chad, and Myanmar citing national security concerns.
According to the proclamation, these nations were flagged for inadequate vetting and screening procedures that could fail to detect individuals posing potential safety or terrorism threats.
In addition, partial travel restrictions will apply to nationals from seven other countries—such as Cuba, Venezuela, Turkmenistan,Togo,Laos,Burundi
and Sierra Leone—based on factors like visa overstay rates, cooperation in accepting deported citizens, information-sharing practices, and the presence of terrorist activity.
The new travel restrictions are scheduled to take effect Monday at 12:01 a.m. ET.
In a video shared on social media, former President Trump linked the newly announced travel ban to Sunday’s tragic terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, emphasizing the risks associated with visa overstays.
The suspect—originally from Egypt, a country not included in Trump’s restricted list—allegedly remained in the U.S. after overstaying a tourist visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump defended the new travel restrictions by pointing to what he described as “deficient” screening and vetting in certain countries, as well as a history of some refusing to accept the return of their own citizens. His conclusions are largely based on an annual Department of Homeland Security report highlighting high visa overstay rates among tourists, business travelers, and students arriving by air and sea.
The inclusion of Afghanistan sparked backlash from some of his own supporters, particularly those involved in resettling Afghan nationals. However, the ban includes exceptions for Afghans holding Special Immigrant Visas—typically individuals who worked closely with the U.S. government during the 20-year conflict.
Trump and his allies continue to defend the original travel ban as a vital move to protect national security, insisting it was designed to keep the country safe—not as a reflection of anti-Muslim bias. They maintain the focus has always been on security, not religion.
The travel ban stems from a January 20 executive order by Trump, directing the Departments of State and Homeland Security, along with the Director of National Intelligence, to assess potential national security threats. The order called for a detailed report examining "hostile attitudes" toward the U.S. and evaluating whether allowing entry from certain countries could pose a risk.
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