Gambiaj.com – (WASHINGTON, DC) – U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning entry into the United States by citizens of 12 countries, citing concerns over terrorism and national security. The ban, set to take effect on June 9, 2025, is part of a broader immigration crackdown initiated at the start of Trump’s second term.
The countries facing a full ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. In addition, partial restrictions will be imposed on nationals from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump declared in a video posted on X, adding that the list could be revised or expanded based on future assessments.
The order specifies that visas issued before June 9 will not be revoked. Trump’s administration says the countries subject to the most severe restrictions either harbor terrorist groups, fail to cooperate on visa security, or cannot verify travelers’ identities and criminal histories. High rates of visa overstays were also cited as a reason for the ban.
Trump pointed to a recent incident in Boulder, Colorado, as an example of the need for stricter entry controls. On Sunday, an Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, allegedly threw a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators. Soliman had overstayed his visa, and his work permit had expired, although Egypt was not included in the new travel ban.
The proclamation follows Trump’s earlier executive order in January that intensified security vetting of foreigners seeking entry to the United States. During his first term, Trump imposed a similar ban on travelers from several Muslim-majority countries—a measure that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in 2018. His successor, President Joe Biden, later reversed those restrictions, calling them “a stain on our national conscience.”
Some of the targeted countries responded quickly to the new directive. Somalia’s ambassador to the U.S., Dahir Hassan Abdi, said his country “stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised.” In contrast, Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello labeled the U.S. government “fascist” and warned Venezuelans that “being in the United States is a big risk for anybody.”
Meanwhile, a 31-year-old teacher from Myanmar expressed dismay that her plans to join a U.S. State Department exchange program might now be derailed. “It is not easy to apply nor get accepted,” she said, adding that she had not yet heard from the program after the ban was announced.
The move is likely to affect thousands of people seeking to enter the U.S. from the affected nations. Calls to Myanmar’s military government and the Taliban-led Afghan foreign ministry were not immediately answered. Pakistan’s foreign ministry also did not respond to questions about Afghans waiting in Islamabad for U.S. resettlement.
The latest travel restrictions were first reported by CBS News and follow earlier indications that the Trump administration was considering sweeping travel bans for dozens of countries.
