Donald Trump has officially signed a travel ban targeting nationals from 12 countries, claiming it is necessary for national security. The countries on the list include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Additionally, nationals from seven other countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—will face partial travel restrictions. The White House has stated that these "common sense restrictions" aim to protect Americans from "dangerous foreign actors."
The ban, which takes effect Monday morning at 12:01 a.m. (05:00 BST), has been adjusted to prevent the disarray experienced during the implementation of a similar travel ban in 2017. In a video message posted to Truth Social, Trump referred to a recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, where twelve people were injured by an alleged Egyptian national as evidence of the dangers posed by foreign nationals who have not undergone proper vetting.
The announcement of the travel ban received immediate backlash. Somalia's ambassador to the US, Dahir Hassan Abdi, affirmed his country’s commitment to cooperating with the United States to resolve security concerns. Conversely, Venezuela’s Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello, warned that merely being in the United States poses significant risks for all citizens, regardless of nationality.
Democratic leaders criticized the move, with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal stating that the expanded ban is likely to further alienate the U.S. on the global stage. Congressman Don Beyer accused Trump of betraying the values held by the nation’s founders.
This is not Trump's first foray into travel bans. His original order in 2017 caused significant public uproar and legal challenges, particularly as it predominantly affected Muslim-majority countries. The initial ban was revised to add two non-Muslim countries, North Korea and Venezuela, and was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. However, the ban was rescinded by President Joe Biden in 2021, who deemed it a blemish on American history.
The latest ban is poised to face legal scrutiny as it unfolds in the weeks ahead.
