Trump insisted that the action was taken to safeguard the US from “foreign terrorists and other national security” risks, providing detailed justifications for each country’s visa restrictions.
Washington D.C. – On Monday, US President Donald Trump’s new travel restriction is scheduled to take effect. Twelve nations’ residents, primarily from Africa and the Middle East, are prohibited from entering the US by the ban. According to the White House, the prohibition will exempt some people, such as specific athletes and diplomats, and was intended to strengthen immigration laws in order to safeguard national security.
According to the White House, the order, which was signed last Wednesday, prohibits citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from traveling to the United States in any capacity.
Additionally, travelers from seven other nations—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—were partially barred by Trump. There will be some exceptions for temporary work visas from some nations.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has brought to light the grave risks that unscreened foreign nationals represent to our nation. In a video message that was shared on the social media site X, Trump stated, “We don’t want them.”
Who Will Not Be Included
Athletes participating in the 2026 World Cup, which the US is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, will not be subject to the ban, according to the Trump order. Athletes competing in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will also not be affected.
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, who is based in New York, said it will also not apply to diplomats from the selected nations.
“Any system that is put in place (should be) one that respects people’s human dignity,” Dujarric stated, adding that it is up to the individual nations to decide how to manage their borders.
Following the Colorado Attack, a ban
His government promised to target “terrorists” who were in the country on visas, and the ban was issued just days after a fire attack on Jewish demonstrators in Colorado.
According to court documents, defendant Mohamed Sabry Soliman is an Egyptian national who entered the US unlawfully after overstaying a tourist visa. However, in September 2022, he asked for asylum, according to US officials.
Trump stated that the action was taken to safeguard the United States from “foreign terrorists and other national security” risks. He provided explicit justifications for each country that was subject to travel restrictions, a list that noticeably excluded Egypt.
He declared that war-torn Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan lacked “competent” central authorities for passport processing and vetting.
Iran was listed as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” according to the directive, and the US is now negotiating a potential nuclear agreement with the country.
Trump’s order cited an above-average risk of visa overstays for the majority of the other nations.
