President Donald Trump has reinstated sweeping travel restrictions, signing a new proclamation that bars citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States, citing national security concerns.
The full ban, which takes effect on June 9, 2025, applies to nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
In addition to the blanket bans, the order places partial travel restrictions on citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
There are a few exceptions to the rule. Athletes travelling for major international events, certain Afghan nationals, and dual nationals who also hold citizenship in unaffected countries may still be allowed entry, according to some media reports.
Explaining the decision in a video message posted on X Wednesday, June 4, Trump said the restrictions are necessary to protect Americans from potential security threats.
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“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen,” he stated.
According to the White House, countries with the toughest restrictions were flagged for harbouring “a large-scale presence of terrorists,” failing to cooperate on visa security, and lacking the capacity to verify the identities of travellers.
Other issues, including poor criminal records management and high visa overstay rates, also influenced the decision.
Consequently, this new directive builds on Trump’s aggressive immigration agenda in his second term. On January 20, he signed an executive order mandating stricter security checks for foreign nationals and directing agencies to reassess which countries should face travel suspensions due to poor vetting systems.
Meanwhile, the latest move echoes Trump’s controversial travel ban during his first term, which initially targeted several Muslim-majority countries and was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018, a policy that was later revoked by President Joe Biden in 2021.