U.S. President Donald Trump has reintroduced a key policy from his first term, announcing a ban on citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States, while imposing restrictions on visitors from seven other countries. The ban will be effective starting Monday at 12:01 a.m., allowing for a smoother transition compared to the abrupt implementation in 2017. Trump, who had hinted at a new ban since taking office in January, now has stronger support following a Supreme Court decision in his favor.
Among the 12 banned countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will face increased restrictions.
In a social media video, Trump linked the new ban to the recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, highlighting concerns about visa overstays by certain visitors. While the suspect in the Colorado attack is from Egypt, a country not on the restricted list, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed that the suspect had overstayed a tourist visa.
Trump criticized countries with inadequate screening and vetting processes, emphasizing the need to protect national security interests. The ban resulted from an executive order issued on January 20, requiring a comprehensive report on countries displaying hostile attitudes towards the U.S. and posing national security risks.
Countries like Haiti, despite avoiding a travel ban in Trump’s previous term, were included due to high visa overstay rates and significant illegal entries into the U.S. Afghanistan’s inclusion sparked criticism, especially from advocates for Afghan refugees who worked closely with the U.S. government.
The prior ban in Trump’s first term, known as the “Muslim ban,” affected citizens of predominantly Muslim countries and faced legal challenges before being upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. The new ban also extends restrictions to North Koreans and certain Venezuelan officials and their families.
Democrats swiftly condemned Trump’s latest announcement, with Senator Adam Schiff denouncing bigotry as a security measure. Trump’s move was viewed as an attempt to divert attention from potential negative impacts of his legislative agenda, according to Democratic Senator Chris Murphy.
Overall, the ban reflects Trump’s ongoing efforts to tighten entry requirements to safeguard national interests, following a pattern of immigration and travel restrictions seen during his presidency.