U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation banning nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States, citing concerns about terrorism and national security. The sweeping restrictions, which take effect on June 9, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT, are aimed at nations that fail to meet U.S. standards for vetting and security cooperation, as described by Trump.
The full travel ban applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Entry from these nations will be entirely prohibited under the new order.
Additionally, partial restrictions will be imposed on travelers from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Details on the specific limitations for these countries have not been fully disclosed, but officials say they will involve stricter visa protocols and limited categories of permissible travel.
“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). He added that the list could be updated at any time to include additional countries if deemed necessary.
According to the proclamation, visas issued before June 9 will remain valid and will not be revoked retroactively.
A Controversial Legacy Revived
This new directive echoes Trump’s controversial 2017 travel ban during his first term, which targeted several Muslim-majority countries and sparked nationwide protests. That earlier ban was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 before being repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021, who called it “a stain on our national conscience.”
Explaining the criteria for the current ban, Trump said the affected countries either host a significant presence of terrorist organizations, fail to share security information with the U.S., lack proper identity verification systems, or show high rates of visa overstays.
“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet those seeking entry into the United States,” Trump said.
He referenced a recent incident in Boulder, Colorado, where a man allegedly threw a gasoline bomb into a group of pro-Israel demonstrators. The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman—an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa—was charged in the attack. Egypt is not among the countries on the new ban list, but Trump cited the case as proof of the dangers of insufficient screening.
International Reactions
The decision prompted swift responses from several affected nations.
Somalia expressed a willingness to cooperate with the United States to resolve the security concerns. “Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue,” said Dahir Hassan Abdi, Somalia’s ambassador to the U.S.
In contrast, Venezuela issued a more defiant response. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called the U.S. government “fascist” and warned Venezuelans of the dangers of living in the United States.
“Being in the United States is a big risk for anybody, not just Venezuelans,” Cabello said. “They persecute our countrymen for no reason.”
As the new restrictions take effect, immigration advocates and civil liberties groups are expected to closely monitor their implementation and challenge them in court, setting the stage for another round of legal and political battles over U.S. immigration policy.
