Trump Bans Nationals from 12 Countries, Citing Terror Threat

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a new proclamation banning nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States, saying the move is necessary to prevent threats posed by “foreign terrorists” and security risks.

The countries affected by the full travel ban include: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Entry from seven other countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—will face partial restrictions, according to an initial report by CBS News.

“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the list may be revised to include more nations in the future.

The travel restrictions take effect on June 9 at 12:01 a.m. EDT. The order notes that visas already issued will remain valid.

Trump’s latest directive echoes his controversial 2017 ban on travelers from several majority-Muslim countries—a policy that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 but repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021, who called it “a stain on our national conscience.”

Explaining the criteria, Trump said the most restricted countries were identified based on their “large-scale presence of terrorists,” poor cooperation on visa security, inability to verify travelers’ identities, and high visa overstay rates in the U.S.

He referenced a recent petrol bomb attack in Boulder, Colorado—allegedly carried out by an Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who had overstayed his visa—as an example of security vulnerabilities. Egypt is not currently on the travel ban list.

In response, Somalia’s ambassador to the U.S., Dahir Hassan Abdi, said the country remains committed to dialogue: “Somalia values its long-standing relationship with the U.S. and stands ready to engage in discussions to address the concerns raised.”

The ban follows a broader immigration crackdown that Trump began after starting his second term. His October 2023 speech previewed similar restrictions targeting countries such as Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, and Gaza.

Trump had also signed a January 20 executive order mandating stricter vetting of foreign nationals and calling on cabinet members to identify countries with inadequate security screening systems.

This latest move underscores the Trump administration’s ongoing focus on limiting migration based on national security concerns.