On Wednesday, 4 June 2025, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation banning 12 countries from travelling and imposing restrictions on seven more. According to the directive, the identified countries lack adequate vetting and screening procedures to identify foreign nationals who might threaten US safety.
Nationals from the following countries will be subject to a complete entry ban. These countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Moreover, partial restriction applies to Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
According to the White House, the proclamation will take effect at 12:01 am on 9 June 2025. However, there are exceptions for existing visa holders, permanent residents, and individuals serving US national interests. The order also allows the secretary of state to approve exemptions individually.
BREAKING: President Trump releases video statement following his decision to ban entry into the United States from 12 countries.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 5, 2025
Seven other countries have partial restrictions.
The 12 countries with full travel restrictions are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the… pic.twitter.com/LywxQ7XPzi
“The list is subject to revision based on whether material improvements are made. And likewise, new countries can be added as threats emerge around the world, but we will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm and nothing will stop us from keeping America safe,” the president said in a video released by the White House.
In the video, he also referenced the assault on Jewish protestors in Boulder, Colorado when a man threw a bomb in a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators. The man charged for this attack is Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman. However, Egypt is not included in the travel ban. This raises questions about the criteria used to determine the barred countries.
Trump also stated that in his first day in the oval office earlier this year, he ordered the secretary of state to assess security in “high risk regions” and propose travel restrictions.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 2, 2025
The decision to bar travel from these countries aligns with a series of strict immigration measures from Trump’s administration. These include preventing asylum claims at the southern border, revoking temporary protected status for immigrants from several countries experiencing humanitarian crises, and signing an order to restrict foreign student visas for Harvard University.
During his first presidential term, Trump introduced a travel ban targeting seven predominantly Muslim countries. The policy was revised multiple times before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Later in 2021, when former President Joe Biden succeeded Trump, the bar was removed for residents of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.
Blocking Afghan nationals from entering the US could significantly impact those who assisted the US during its 20-year military presence in Afghanistan. Many Afghans are already stuck in uncertainty because of earlier Trump-era policies, including halts on the refugee program and the suspension of funding for flights carrying Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients.
