On Wednesday, the 4th of June, US President Donald Trump signed an official declaration banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the US, stating that this step is necessary to protect against “foreign terrorists” and other security threats, reports Reuters.
The latest travel bans apply to the following countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Entry will be partially restricted for citizens of seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
“We will not allow people who want to harm us into our country,” Trump said in a video posted on Twitter. He noted that the list could be reviewed and other countries could be added.
THE BAN WILL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 9TH OF JUNE 2025 AT 12:01 A.M. EST. VISAS ISSUED BEFORE THAT DATE WILL NOT BE CANCELLED, THE ORDER STATES.
Trump said that the countries covered by the ban are home to “a large number of terrorists”, do not cooperate on visa security, are unable to verify the identity of travellers, do not maintain adequate criminal records, and have high rates of visa overstayers in the United States.
“We cannot allow free migration from countries where we cannot safely and reliably screen and select those who wish to enter the United States,” Trump said.
He cited Sunday’s incident in Boulder, Colorado, in which a man with a flare gun targeted a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators, as an example of why new restrictions are needed.
Mohamed Soliman, an Egyptian citizen, has been charged with the attack. Federal officials said Soliman had overstayed his tourist visa and his work permit had expired, although Egypt is not on the list of countries subject to travel restrictions.
The ban is part of immigration crackdown measures Trump launched earlier this year at the start of his second term.
It also includes the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan citizens to El Salvador on suspicion of gang membership, as well as efforts to deny admission to some foreign students and deport others.