Trump Revives Travel Ban on 19 Countries, Citing National Security

Washington D.C. – President Trump on Wednesday signed a new proclamation that will bar travelers and immigrants from a dozen countries and impose restrictions on nationals from another seven, citing national security concerns. The sweeping measures, set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 9, mark a revival of policies seen during his first administration.

The proclamation institutes a full ban on entry for foreigners from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. This applies to both prospective legal immigrants and temporary visa holders such as tourists.

Additionally, partial entry suspensions will affect travelers and immigrants from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. These restrictions primarily target prospective immigrants seeking permanent settlement in the U.S. and certain temporary visa holders.

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White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated that President Trump is “fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors,” emphasizing that the restrictions are “country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information.”

The announcement follows a recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, where the suspect was identified as an Egyptian national who had overstayed his tourist visa. President Trump highlighted this incident as underscoring “the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas.”

The decree includes certain exemptions, such as U.S. permanent residents, Afghans who aided American forces, diplomats, athletes, and dual nationals with a passport from a country not on the list.

These new restrictions echo a series of controversial travel bans implemented during Trump’s first term, which faced widespread outcry and legal challenges.

The initial 2017 ban targeted predominantly Muslim countries, and subsequent iterations expanded the list.

The third version of his first-term ban was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The Biden administration had rescinded those bans upon taking office.

President Trump indicated that the list of affected countries could be revised based on improvements in vetting procedures or if new threats emerge. Like its predecessors, this latest proclamation is expected to face legal scrutiny.