In a move that could reshape global travel, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday evening, banning travel from 12 countries and partially restricting entry from seven others. The decision, citing national security concerns, is set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. next Monday.
The proclamation fully bans nationals from Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the United States. These countries were identified as “deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States,” according to a White House release.
Partial restrictions will apply to nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The White House stated that the measures are “necessary to garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.”
Exceptions to the ban include lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests.
This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has enacted such measures. During his first term, Trump announced a ban on travelers from seven countries, a policy that faced multiple legal challenges before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Former President Joe Biden reversed that ban in 2021.
As the world grapples with these new restrictions, travelers and foreign governments alike are assessing the impact on international relations and global mobility.
