Why Trump Banned Travel to 12 Countries – What to Know About His New Ban
President Donald Trump issued a new travel ban Wednesday, limiting entry into the United States from 12 nations and placing visa restrictions on seven others, over five months into his second term. The order aims to restrict what Trump has seen as a potential increase in immigration and resurrects his immigration agenda, which he had fought for during his first term.
The current prohibition will go into effect on Monday, June 9 at 12:01 am, providing travelers and government organizations a short window of time to make adjustments.
What is travel ban?
A federal regulation that restricts or forbids citizens of particular nations from entering the United States is known as a travel ban. From complete entry prohibitions to restricted suspensions of particular visa categories, the limitations can take several forms.
Trump’s most recent declaration is a return to his first-term travel bans from a number of nations. This updated list re-includes five of the impacted nations in that order.
Why was the new ban implemented?
Days after a tragic incident in Boulder, Colorado, that was purportedly carried out by an Egyptian national, the restriction was imposed. President Trump used the assault as a reminder of the dangers posed by people who overstay visas or who originate from countries with lax screening procedures, even though Egypt is not included by the ban.
Which nations are impacted?
The directive separates countries into two groups: those with restricted visa requirements and those with a total travel prohibition. Most of them are found in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.
| Full travel ban (all entry suspended) | Visa restrictions (certain categories suspended) |
| Afghanistan | Burundi |
| Chad | Cuba |
| Republic of Congo | Laos |
| Equatorial Guinea | Sierra Leone |
| Eritrea | Togo |
| Haiti | Turkmenistan |
| Iran | Venezuela |
| Libya | |
| Myanmar | |
| Somalia | |
| Sudan | |
| Yemen |
Why were these countries selected?
The Trump administration offered three main reasons:
- Absence of document security and screening capabilities: It was noted that several nations, including Afghanistan, Libya, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Venezuela, had untrustworthy officials who were unable to issue passports or screen citizens before they traveled overseas.
- High rates of visa overstay: Because of the high number of citizens who overstayed their visas in the United States, countries such as Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan were included.
- Connections to terrorism or state-sponsored terrorism: A number of nations, including Cuba, Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran, and Libya, have been accused of supporting or participating in terrorism.
What are the travel ban’s exclusions?
According to the White House order, green card holders who have a path to US citizenship are excluded from the restriction. Individuals who are dual citizens of the United States and a prohibited nation are likewise exempt. The decree further said that those applying for visas through close family members of US residents would not be impacted.
Athletes and coaches traveling for athletic events, as well as their families, will still be permitted entry into the United States because the country is hosting the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 and the World Cup in 2026.
Additionally exempt are refugees who have already received asylum. This exclusion also applies to Afghan nationals who had sided with the US government during the protracted conflict that followed the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Lastly, the prohibition does not apply to Iranians who are escaping religious persecution, especially those who belong to minority groups like Christians.
What distinguishes this from the travel ban of 2017?
Shortly after becoming office, President Trump issued an executive order in 2017 that prohibited travel from seven nations with a large Muslim population. This order, sometimes referred to as the “Muslim ban,” has led to nationwide protests, court challenges, and airport mayhem. The prohibition underwent several revisions over time before the Supreme Court upheld it in 2018.
This current proclamation, in contrast to the 2017 ban, includes several specific exemptions and offers a short window before execution.
Timeline: Travel restrictions under Trump (2017–2020)
January 27, 2017: The first travel ban was implemented. For ninety days, citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen were prohibited from entering the United States.
In Washington v. Trump, a federal judge blocked the order on February 3, 2017.
March 6, 2017: Iraq was taken from the list of countries that the Trump administration has banned from travel. Those who already had a valid visa or green card were likewise excluded from the prohibition.
March 15, 2017: Two federal courts ruled that the most significant part of the ban, which prohibited travel from six nations, could not be implemented, blocking its essential elements.
The third travel ban was implemented on September 24, 2017. Most people of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen were prohibited from entering. Iranian nationals were permitted entry if they had valid student and exchange guest visas.
Dec. 4, 2017: While legal challenges persisted, the Supreme Court let the third ban to go into force.
April 10, 2018: After Chad acknowledged the administration’s security concerns, travel restrictions were lifted.
June 26, 2018: In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court upheld the third travel ban, holding that the president had jurisdiction over immigration-related national security issues.
January 31, 2020: The fourth travel ban was implemented. Tourists and those entering temporarily were allowed entry into the US, but immigrants from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania were not.
January 20, 2021: All of Trump’s travel restrictions were lifted by President Biden as soon as he took office.
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