On Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation that prohibits travel from multiple countries to the United States, citing concerns over security risks.
The ban will completely restrict the entry of nationals from twelve countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, commonly referred to as Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Individuals hailing from seven nations will face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The announcement outlines specific exceptions for lawful permanent residents, current visa holders, particular visa categories, and individuals whose entry aligns with US national interests.
A White House official has confirmed that the president ultimately decided to sign the proclamation following the antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado. The contemplation had been ongoing, yet the events of Sunday’s assault accelerated the decision-making process significantly.
White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson stated on X that “President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm.”
“These practical limitations are tailored to individual countries and encompass locations that do not have adequate vetting processes, show elevated rates of visa overstays, or do not provide identity and threat information,” she stated.
In a video released on Wednesday, Trump indicated that additional countries may be included in the travel ban as “threats emerge around the world”.
The list may undergo changes depending on the extent of material improvements achieved. “New countries can be designated as threats as they arise globally, but we will not permit individuals who intend to harm us to enter our nation, and we are resolute in our commitment to ensuring the safety of America,” the president stated.
According to the White House, the proclamation will come into effect at 12:01 a.m. on June 9.
Wednesday’s announcement arrives just shy of five months following the president’s inauguration. Upon assuming office, he promptly issued an executive order instructing
cabinet members, including the secretary of state, to create a list of countries deemed to have insufficient vetting and screening information, thereby justifying a potential partial or complete suspension of admissions for nationals from those nations.
During his initial term, Trump implemented a travel ban affecting individuals from seven predominantly Muslim countries. This decision faced legal scrutiny before President Joe Biden rescinded it upon assuming office in 2021.
The exclusion of nationals from Afghanistan may have significant repercussions for those Afghans who collaborated with the United States throughout its two-decade military engagement in the region. Tens of thousands of Afghans find themselves in a precarious situation, trapped in limbo as a result of executive orders from the Trump administration that have halted the US refugee admissions program and suspended foreign aid funding for the flights of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders.
Shawn Vandiver, the founder of #AfghanEvac, a prominent coalition of resettlement and veterans’ organisations in the United States, expressed that the travel ban “disproportionately affects families and individuals seeking lawful entry into the US.”
Vandiver stated that the proclamation “is a strategic move, not a response to an immediate threat.”
The prohibition has drawn backlash from the administrations of affected nations.
On Wednesday, Venezuela’s Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace expressed that residing in the United States poses significant risks for all individuals, not exclusively for Venezuelans.
Diosdado Cabello made a pointed remark on government television, stating, “If you’re really that foolish, then go to the United States,” as reported by the Reuters news agency.
Oxfam has issued a stark warning, stating that the proclamation signifies a disturbing resurgence of policies rooted in fear, discrimination, and division.
According to Abby Maxman, President and CEO of Oxfam America, the ban will prevent individuals and families escaping war and persecution from entering the US, effectively “forcing them to remain in dangerous conditions,” she stated in a recent announcement.
